Heir Apparent
by AngryChair
Summary: After millions of years, the Imperial Condesce's rein of terror has finally fallen. However, when her throne is claimed by the next Empress in line, a new era of chaos is born, and a troll who's always been the expected hostile type vows to change her ways and free Alternia from the merciless grasp of the imperial monarchy.
1. Pesterlog intro

GC: 1 DONT FOR ON3 S3COND B3L13V3 YOU'V3 4CTU4LLY CH4NG3D

AG: oh really? So you think I'm working my ass off, writing these 'inspir8ional' journals, just so you can all f8ll into my trap?

AG: Is th8t what you think? You gonna m8ke one of those dum8 question mark f8ces or something?

GC: VR1SK4 1M NOT SUR3 SOM3ON3 C4N CH4NG3 TH1S F4ST

AG: 8ut clearly you 8re sure someone C8N'T change this fast, right?

AG: Wrong! I h8ve changed, Terezi, and you will soon re8lize this.

AG: 8nd not 8ec8use of my mind p8wers!

GC: C4LM DOWN VR1SK4

AG: Give me a 8r8k.

GC: 3V3RY OTH3R T1M3 1V3 DON3 TH4T TH3R3 W4S SOM3 B4CKST4BB3RY 1N TH3 WORKS

AG: 8nd e%actly wh8t proof do you h8ve?

GC: %? R34LLY?

AG: Woooooooow. That was very str8nge.

AG: Shiiiiiiiit. .

AG: I needed to discuss some serious 8usiness with him! I completely 8lanked!

GC: OK, YOU'R3 ST1LL WORK1NG W1TH 3QU1US

GC: 1 KN3W YOU W3R3 LY1NG 4LL 4LONG

AG: 8ut I'm not lying!

AG: Seriously, I w8nt to change my w8ys! Remem8er when you went throught th8t?

AG: who helped you through th8t, pyrope? Gee, it's h8rd to remem8er!

GC: 4LR1GHT F1N3 1T W4S YOU

AG: See?

AG: There is good in me!

AG: Anyw8y gotta get 8ack to my 8usiness p8rtner. I was supposed to talk to him earlier.

GC: BUS1N3SS P4RTN3R

GC: WH4T3V3R YOU L1K3, SP1D3RH4G :P

AG:H8y. Don't c8ll me that. Seriously.

GC: WHY NOT? TO M34N FOR YOUR N3W R3FORM3D S3LF?

AG: Other re8sons.

AG: Transl8tion: Ot)(er. Ring a 8ell?

GC: OH Y34H SORRY

AG:F8rewell, Redgl8re! ::::P

GC: GOODBY3 SP1D3R B1TCH :P

AG: Much 8etter ::::)

AG: :?

arachnidsGrip ceased trolling gallowsCalibrator

GC: OK, M4YB3 YOU H4V3 CH4NG3D

GC: BUT 1 ST1LL H4V3 MY DOUBTS

arachnidsGrip began trolling centaursTesticle

AG: 8lright, I'm here.

CT: D- It's about time

AG: Dammit, give me a 8r8k! I just spent the last w8ste of time trying to convince Terezi. She still doesn't 8elieve me :|

CT: D- Despite all your efforts

CT: D- My moirail has no trouble believing in this

CT: D- In fact she will be promptly joining us

AG: Hmmmmmmmm.

AG: That could 8e... useful?

CT: D- Are you denying her skills Serket

AG: Yeeeeeeeeah, kindaaaaaaaa

AG: I 8et she'll 8e of help somehow.

AG: Anyw8y I got Kan8ya to 8elieve me

CT: D- E%plain how you did that

CT: D- From my e%perience miss Maryam is fairly stubborn

AG: Sure is! 8ut she's sm8rt too, and she thinks for herself.

AG: You should've seen Terezi's reaction. It w8s priceless.

CT: D- Re%ion to what

AG: Fussyfangs joing us. She was all, "VR1SK4 JUST TR1CK3D YOU" and "S1NC3 WH3N 4R3 YOU SO GULL1BL3"

CT: D- Well then

CT: D- Let's just get to my e%plan8ion of the problem

CT: D- Did I really just type that

AG: ::::P

AG: I typed 'e%actly' when talking to Terezi, soooooooo

AG: we're even? ::::)

CT: D- Should I be flattered or frightened

AG: Get yourself a towel 8efore telling me the news ::::P

CT: D- Quell your sarcasm

CT: D- I am already equipped with a towel

CT: D- Anyhow you know of her imperial condescension right

AG: Yeah I know a8out the condense.

CT: D- She is planning to cull Miss Pei%es due to the death of her 100sus

AG: She's really going to kill Feferi?

AG: Ok, I'm going to sound far more selfish th8m I mean too...

AG: 8ut I think this is my ch8nce to set things right

CT: D- How so

AG: If I s8ve Feferi, everyone will see me as a hero

AG: honestly I'm sick of 8eing seen as the 8ad guy, you know?

CT: D- That makes sense

AG: I know, right?

CT: D- Aside from the idea of single handedly saving the young Heir

AG: well...

AG: It doesn't need to 8e single h8ndedly, does it?

CT: D- Her imperial condescension is more powerful than you may realize

CT: D- I know you've been attempting to deem this irrelevant to anything but her b100d is not ONE OF the richest hues the hemospe%trum has to offer

AG: huh? ::::\

CT: D- It IS the richest hue

CT: D- And she has a vast and well trained army of sea dwellers

CT: D- Do you think a small group of eight sweep old trolls are capable of having any chance of defeating the condense

AG: Feferi might

AG: With our help, th8t is.

AG: Really, Equius, I'm just sick of 8eing t8ken for the evil girl I once was, the one who kills without thinking, just to compete with my kismesis, just to live up to my ancestor's stand8rds.

AG: I h8ve to do this.

CT: D- But

CT: D- Vriska I

CT: D- Erm

AG: Yeeeeeeees?

CT: D- Forget it I'm sure you'll do e%cellent

AG: aw, th8nks! ::::)

AG: You know, despite how you alw8ys try to m8ke yourself into the ideal for your class, I think inside you're also just someone who wants to do wh8ts right

AG: And l8ly you've 8een very helpful, even kind of sweet, for lack of a 8etter word. ::::P

CT: D- Oh

CT: D- Thank you

AG: No pro8lem!

AG: Ok, 8ye Sweatquius!

CT: D- Wait

AG: Gogdammit

AG: Do you have something to s8y or are you just w8sting my time?

CT: D- Be careful Serket

AG: I wiiiiiiiill

AG: you know I will.

CT: D- Remember that time you lost your arm

CT: D- Let's not let another thing like that happen

AG: Equius, I w8s six sweeps then. I'd really fucked up. I didn't know who I w8s, and I was 8it in the ass 8y karma.

CT: D- I remember everything

CT: D- I'll never forget

AG: WOOOOOOOOW. Ok, I'll 8e c8reful. Gooooooood8YE, Equius!

CT: D- Farewell Serket

CT: D- Promise you won't get injured badly

AG: GOOD8YE.

CT: D- Please

AG: GOOD

AG: 8YE.

CT: D- Serket why can't you promise

AG: Wh8t part d8n't you underst8nd, the good, or the 8ye?

AG: G88D8YE!

CT: D- Fine

CT: D- Goodbye

arachnidsGrip ceased trolling centaursTesticle

CT: D- But I hope you know how an%ious this makes me


	2. Chapter 1: Arrival of the Condesce

"I hate to say it, but I think those of a lower caste than Terezi has a zero percent chance of survival if they go out to attack. So if any one of you so much as TRIES to attack her... I think the best explanation is KABOOM!" The trolls whom Vriska was speaking to cowered back as she imitated their demise, and nodded in unusually submissive agreement.

All but one.

"I'm not just going to sit here while some huge bitch tries to hurt Feferi."

Karkat raised his sickle, snarling. The tip gleamed in the twilight, and beneath the glint of one of the moons in the distance, his stern glare looked slightly fearsome. But only slightly.

Equius stepped up to the mutant and lifted him by the hair. Karkat flailed and cursed and clawed at Equius' face. "Vantas, you know you're far too weak to survive even just within her perception. She's not just some huge female pawbeast, she is the most powerful troll that has ever lived."

"Ok, I get that! Put me the fuck down!" Equius dropped Karkat to the ground, where he staggered back before he could regain his balance. Karkat stood, sheathed his sickle and looked Equius straight in the eyes (or so he thought. You couldn't tell with those cracked shades).

"Look, fuckass. I know I'm probably not going to make it out of this alive, unless I hide here like the wuss I know I am. But... I don't want a repeat. I do NOT want a fucking repeat."

Some trolls had been quietly chuckling in the background at the whole episode, but they all fell silent at these words. "Repeat?" Equius inquired, though he knew just what Karkat was referring to.

Tavros stood on his prosthetic legs, putting his hand on Karkat's trembling shoulder. "He's... talking about Gamzee." he admitted. "We all knew that but... I'm not sure any of us would understand."

"You don't." Karkat growled, nudging Tavros off. "Oh, hey sweaty, thought I'd ask you-"

"Vantas you'll refer to me by my NAME."

"Gog, fuck... Fine. Equius. What sort of condition is Gamzee in?"

The blue blood sighed audibly. "It's uncertain- his condition... never remains the same on a daily basis. Maryam, don't you possess minor medical knowledge?" The jade blood unwillingly stepped forth from the crowd.

"Of coarse I do." she mumbled. "Why do you ask?"

Karkat rolled his eyes at her. "You fucking know why. And we all know why you'd rather not help my poor fucking moirail."

Kanaya crossed her arms. "What's there to pity about that imbecile anyway?" she muttered.

"Gogdammit, you are so unhelpful because of this fucking... thing, you have with him! Any volunteers to auspistize? I'll pay you a shitload!"

"For what I wish to be the last time, Gamzee is NOT my kismesis."

"Oh sure. Everyone can tell. Sorry assholes. No free money today. Gogdammit, all I want is for SOMEONE to help Gamzee. Someone who isn't afraid of him or holding a grudge..." Karkat breathed in and out, than said to himself, "Or the shittiest moirail in history." He wiped a fraction of a tear, being alert as to conceal his emotions.

"Vantas, I..." Equius paused, collecting his thoughts, "I've been trying my best. I'm very concerned for him as well."

"Well, you ARE the fucking hero... if it weren't for you, he'd be DEAD. I could've saved him, but I hid like a coward..."

"If you had attacked the blasted lunatic who was after him, he'd have killed you both. It's better that you hid. Do you how much it means to him that you're still alive?"

"Yeah. Of coarse. I mean, what are moirails for?" Karkat said with obvious insincerity.

"Guys! Gogdammit, why is everyone so distracted! Am I only one who's noticing the spilling raspberry juice!"

Equius turned to Terezi, glaring. "Raspberry juice. What are you talking about?"

Vriska looked, than pointed to the sky, "That." At that moment, all eight of them looked up at the sky, surprised.

"Oh shit. We're too late!" Sollux complained.

"No we aren't." Karkat snapped. "Okay, we're... a bit late, but, fuck... let's sort this out."

"Who put Kk in charge? Seriousy, you can't just grant yourself permi-"

"Look, I think I know what to do. And I don't think blood color matters here. Sollux has all those weirdass physic powers, and Kanaya's got a chainsaw and knows how to use it... It's probably best if we all go. If you don't think you fight stay as close as you can within reason. Is everything clear, or I do I need to fucking repeat myself?" He surveyed his teammates. Equius had his hand raised, and his head facing the ground as he kicked up little clumps of dirt. Karkat sighed, "What is it Zahhak? Still don't like taking orders from me? Too fucking bad."

"I still think the lowbloods would be safer if they stayed back."

"Why? You think the condense is immune to... claws... and lances and shit?" Equius stared back at Karkat, unable to speak. "Well, then, let's get the fuck-"

"Let me talk to him, Karkitty."

"Fine Nepeta. But you're little feelings jam is going to slow you both down. The rest of us are going to start heading the fuck out of here." Karkat and the rest of the group ran towards the source of the strange imperial violet glow in the sky that grew by the second.

"So Karkat," Terezi inquired, "if I had been in this situation a few sweeps ago, would you have been this brave?" she laughed fakely, and Karkat knew she was just doing it to try and lighten the mood, but they both knew it was ineffective.

"I don't fucking know that! Maybe I would've still been a wuss about it? I was a different troll, alright? And a fucked up and confused one at that."

Terezi sighed, "Weren't we all."

Meanwhile, two concerned moirails were having not a feelings jam, but an argument.

"Equius, I'm not kitten around, I'm sick and tired of you overpurrtecting me! I know it's fur my own good, but-"

"But nothing. You will stay HERE where it is safe. Do you understand?"

"I compawletely understand. You're purried fur my safety, and you don't want me to get purrt But really, I can take care of meowself. You know that."

"Nepeta, I-"

"Shush! I'm not finished! Look, I know it's a chowlange to ameow me to go out there, but furrankly, if I nefurr go fur chowlanges, I'll nefurr learn anything! And besides, they need as meowny trolls as they can get to purrtect Fefurri."

Equius paused- even he wasn't used to that many catpuns. "Nepeta, I... just don't want," he sniffled, "to lose you. Ever since Aradia rejected me, and than died... or disappeared since she was already dead, I suppose, you're all I have to lose."

"Wow, thanks!" Nepeta chimed, forcing a grin. "But... you're always caring fur Gamzee, and you wouldn't be doing that if you didn't care fur him, right?"

Equius sighed, "Yes, I suppose him and I have been establishing some sort of... brotherly bond, hence why I'm watching over him" Equius turned his face to the grass, muttering, "Despite some lewd things he's expressed recently..." He blushed faintly.

Nepeta turned her head slightly, "Heehee, like what?"

"Oh, er, nothing... you weren't supposed to here that."

"Wouldn't you miss Vwiskers? Meowbeast just a little?"

Equius' blush (and sweat) grew bolder, and he failed to verbalize any reaction for a bit. Finally, he managed, "Vriska and I are just business partners. Nothing more, of coarse."

"Pfffft! You've gotta be kitten me."

"What are you implying, Nepeta?"

"Oh, nothing... just some good old fashioned suspicion that a certain someone's meowrail is seriously waxing flushed for a certain someone's meowrail's business purrtner..." Nepeta singsonged.

"Stop it. That's not true. I do care for her, but we're only... friends."

Nepeta giggled, pivoting towards the direction in which the rest of the trolls had headed moments before. "Equius and Vwiskers sittin' in a tree..." Equius followed his moirail, jogging to keep up with her.

"Nepeta you're being very rude and wrigglerish. Stop."

"...S-N-O-G-I-N-G..."

"Cease this at once! That's not even how it's spe-"

"...furst comes pity, than comes love..."

"Nepeta, if you say the next line I will-"

"Than comes a cute little newborn grub!"

"I give up! I am NOT flushed for her!" Equius bellowed.

"For who?" Vriska whispered, snapping in their general direction as the two realized they'd made it to their teammates hiding spot.

"Oh, er..." he said, crouching next to her, "We were just... roleplaying fictional characters we created when we were young, for old times sake... she demanded it."

"Weird." Vriska replied, shrugging, "I'm going to find out who Nepeta thinks is in that flushed quadrant of yours." Equius shivered at her words. She was so intimidating, even if he was the least weak against her.

So in control, all of sudden. In recent times she HAD improved, and Equius wanted her to improve so much that she could bring him up with her, to a place where they'd both forget the hemo spectrum ever existed, and they could just live in harmony with each other... Gog, the ridiculous ideas he came up with these days.

"Zahhak, you're head up in the stars? I just gave you an order!"

"I'm sorry, Serket, I will try to refrain from... daydreaming, for lack of a better-"

"Look, I told you a few moments ago to go fight some sea dwellers." Equius just stared at her.

"But they're my superi-"

"Equius, this might anger you, but... I think you're a very messed up and confused troll right now." Vriska pursed her lips.

"You... do?"

"Not as much as you used to be, but yeah. What I was saying was... I've been there. You know I have. And I think you want some kind of mental reform, even you don't know and/or won't admit to it. But like I've said... I think you're not so bad on the inside. In fact, what you've got going on in that that scrambled think pan of yours could be brilliant if it got sorted out, for all we know, right?" She pinched his cheek, and he winced, his face going deep blue.

"Er... thank you. I'll just go get to those sea dweller agents, than..."

Vriska smirked, "You do that, Sweatquius, you do that."

Equius stood, dashing off to a chaotic scene. Plenty of purple blooded adults, some dozens of sweeps older than the team Vriska and Karkat led. The dark green grass hills of Alternia were stained with gallons of purple blood. Equius wondered where his moirail was in all this, both physically and mentally.

Nepeta was clawing her way to the youthful leader of the Condense's army- someone who many of the trolls she fought alongside had once called a friend. She made her way to the door of the Condense's space travel device, not caring that she was drenched in purple blood. She was almost satisfied with this physical state. She slammed her fist against the door.

"AMPURA!" she called.

She heard a faint snicker, "Who iiiiiiiiis it?"

Still using that stupid accent. "You know who. Now get your betraying rotten salmon ass down here so I can pulfurrize it!" She panted hungrily. Hungry for revenge.

In just a second, the door slid open, and out stepped Eridan, in all his glory. Nepeta snorted at him, like a wild boar. He snapped a wicked, unsettling grin. His attire as of late consisted of his blue and black striped pants, now with lavender accents. Instead of sneakers, he now wore leather dress shoes from muscle beast hide. The shirt he wore still contained his symbol, but had long sleeves that got wider as they neared his wrist, and a collar. He wore a necktie that was originally the tail of Nepeta's lusus, painted in the colors of the scarf he once wore. Every time she saw it, Nepeta was reminded of the day Eridan shot her dear guardian between the eyes. The day he betrayed all his allies, even his moirail. He liked to think he could handle leaving her for his own power.

Nepeta was much stronger than when the two had last seen eachother. She now never wore the trench coat, and had torn the sleeves of all her T-shirts so the muscles of her arms were always visible. Upon Eridan's seemingly harmless state, Nepeta grapsed onto the necktie he wore, as if claiming it back to it's original owner, and brought his face right up to hers.

"Where is she?" Nepeta hissed.

Eridan rolled his eyes, "Where's who? You gotta be more specific when you-"

"Where is Fefurri!" she yelled, "Or Feferi. The troll you once said you were flushed for, who your now out to kill? I don't even care what's wrong with you! I'm sick of watching my furriends use their energy to fight, not realizing that the soilders you sent are just a distraction! Tell me where she is or I will claw your head off!"

"Well, Nep... we both know why you can't do THAT..."

Nepeta slammed her calloused knuckles into Eridan's nose, causing him to stumble. "Shut your meowth fish face! All I want to know is where you pawer hungry porkbeasts are keeping my furriend!"

"Ouch, cod, take it easy Nep..." Nepeta stepped forward, one foot at each side of Eridan's body.

"I will if you shut your pawhole and tell me where Fefurri is! You know I'm much stronger than you are. You're purretty weak fur a sea dweller, you know."

"Yeah, but... I've got backup."

Nepeta crinkled her nose, "Backup?"

"Guards!"

On either side of this part of interior of the Empress' massive ship, there were stairs that curled upward into the cabin, and about 2 dozen more purple blooded warriors poured out from them, all headed for Nepeta.

The green blood cracked her neck, and scanned the crowd that was ambushing her, for some reason pausing. I can't take these guys alone, she thought, reaching for the trollion transmitter on her hat while raising a fist to being fighting. Someone was already messaging her.

CT: D- Nepeta we've defeated all the sea dwellers

CT: D- You're no where to be found

CT: D- We've sent out a search party for you in edition to the one for the heiress

CT: D- Nepeta answer me this instant

CT: D- Nepeta where are you

CT: D- You are making me e%tremely worried you do realize

CT: D- I haven't a c100 where you are

AC: 83o equius!

CT: D- There you are

AC: 83o i can't really talk right meow! in fact, i need some help fighting some soldiers!

CT: D- But

CT: D- We defeated them all didn't we

CT: D- Nepeta this is making quite an%ious where are you anyway

AC: 83 the empurress' ship. i cant talk beclaws ampurra sent some guys after me!

CT: D- Nepeta it was f001ish to enter the ship

AC: 83 but how else would we find fefurri?

CT: D- Ok I suppose what I meant to say was

CT: D- It was f001ish to enter that ship ALONE

AC: 83 yeah you're purrobably right about that. could you just help me? these guys are not supurr strong but there are a lot of them! purrhaps you could get vwiskers to help us too? i know you'd like that. x3

CT: D- Very well I will get whoever I can

centaursTesticle ceased trolling arsenicCatnip

Moments after this conversation, Equius and Vriska showed up to assist, along with Kanaya and Sollux. Sea dwellers continued to be clawed, but also were torn apart, beaten, sliced and blasted, with no regard to their personal lives as they all ended it a hasty, bloody, and chaotic attack.

Eridan sat, drenched in the blood of his henchmen, helplessly unprotected. He currently wielded no weapon, so he stood up weakly, and raised a trembling fist. All of the blood in the room was purple. Not a drop of navy, cerulean, jade, olive or yellow. As far as rebel alliance forces went, this one was clearly the most skilled Eridan had witnessed. Almost any other one of these alliances would have absconded like the lowblood cowards they were.

But Eridan had yet to surrender. He knew these people, and maybe he didn't know the physical drawbacks they had, but he was well aware of their mental weaknesses. He once again gave the smirk that implied he was up to no good.

"So, I know Sol and Eq have that little ex of theirs haunting them?"

"Erm..."

"Can it ED. It's not going to work."

"Woah, hey, I'm just trying to be sympathetic. Cod.. And hey, how 'bout that lusus a yours, Nep?"

"Ignore what he says. It's meaningless." Equius whispered.

"Hey, it's happened to us all by now."

"Your not really being sympawthetic. You're respawnsible fur her death, and your even wearing purroof..." Nepeta winked discreetly at her moirail, and he knew it meant she had something up her sleeve... figuratively speaking.

"What, I thought it'd make a nice accessory!" He lifted his hand to stroke the necktie, but when he reached over, he found that it had disappeared.

"Ok, time to be serious- which one of you land dwellers took my fuckin necktie?"

Nepeta smirked, rightfully holding the tail of her lusus behind her back.

"Fine, if your not gonna tell me than I'll just have to shoot one of you at rando-" Nepeta giggled, and held it up in one hand. "Just can't let go of some things, huh catgirl?" He opened a secret hatchway in the wall that contained his wand. A few feet over Equius shook and sweat with anxiety. Vriska slapped his shoulder.

"Cool it." she snapped, "Otherwise we'll appear weak." She looked at him for a second, realizing she hadn't made things any better for him. "Besides, I think your moirail can handle him. I mean, you saw how she did with the-"

Equius couldn't take the suspense. Without much thought, he slammed his under Eridan's chin, making him drop his wand and have a painful collision with the wall. Equius lifted him by his shirt and held him close so they met eye-to-eye. The others stared blankly.

"You stay away from my moirail you disgusting lump of filth!"

"Should I intervene?"

"Stay out of this fussyfangs. It's not always blackrom when two trolls get pissed at eachother."

"Now, Ampora..." Equius said, bringing their faces even closer.

"Excuse me, perhaps you two could just-"

"Kanaya don't you DARE."

"...You know something that we need to know in order to complete our mission."

"Eq, first off your a land dweller. All of you are. And second, your being pretty aggressive with me. Do you honestly think I'm going to tell you what you-"

"Shut your mouth and tell me where Peixes is."

"Fef? Why do you care about her?"

"Between you and me," Equius whispered, "I'm still not fond of her. I'm only doing this because..."

"Why, Eq? Because you like to be ordered around, even if it's by lowbloods, even ones that don't know shit about the hemospectrum?"

"I'm doing this because... I, erm..." He took a second to think- he knew why he was doing it, but as if he'd admit it to anyone. Especially Eridan, of all people. "...Look, Ampora, I'm not one to compromise, but I will only let you go if you tell us where Peixes is first."

"Yeah," Vriska interrupted. Equius was caught off guard even by her presence. When in control of herself, her presence was overwhelmingly respectable. "And if you lie, I'll know."

"And if she informs us that you are lying, you won't be able to respond as I will have sliced your cranium clean off your throat."

"Fussyfangs that didn't even remotely help."

"Fine..." Eridan began, "You win. Fef is in the upper cabin." Equius dropped him, used his foot to snap his elbow, and followed his comrades, who were already on their way up. "Yeah..." Eridan said as the other trolls ascended, "Fef's up there. What I didn't tell you is who else is." He chuckled to himself, clutching his elbow.

And they soon found out, too soon to escape as the steel security doors slammed behind them. There was a large, overshadowed figure in an office chair, and Feferi was pinned to one of the dark windows by large, imperial violet tentacles.

"FF!" Sollux cried, being the first to see her. "The fuck is happening?"

"Guys! Get out! It isn't safe!"

"I'm afraid we are unable, Peixes."

The overshadowed figure cackled, spun round, revealing that the shadows were just her abyss of long, black, spiraling locks of hair. "Whale whale whale... looks like we got us a good helping of lowbloods to cull." They all took their fighting stances. "Ah. You ain't the ones who just took out my little army a sea dwellers... or are ya?"

"You underestimating us?" Vriska attempted a round-house kick to her face, and it would've been a knockout move on almost anyone else. But the condense had a few more tricks up her sleeve, and tightly wound tentacle-like strands of hair around the cerulean troll's ankle. "Ouch! Fuck! I can't move!"

Equius stood, blinking and sweating profusely. The condense slammed Vriska against the wall hard, and she began to cough up blood. The empress cackled wickedly, and Equius' eyebrows arched down, his fist tightened, and he threw himself at the empress, fist flying at her with radical speed.

But she just giggled and tossed him just below Vriska. He was able to get back on his feet, unlike Vriska, who lay, absent minded, on the control table. Equius returned to his fighting stance, feeling able to fight to the death, when the condense leaped off her chair and slithered through one of the escape vents, designed so only someone of her caste could get through. Equius blinked, bewildered, and turned to Vriska.

"Hey, is anyguppy going to get me out of this clam?"

Kanaya sliced the tentacles open, Feferi jumped free, and caught her trident that was tied next to her whilst doing so. She used the golden weapon to smash one of the windows, and led Kanaya, Sollux, and Nepeta out.

"Hey Equius," Nepeta began, "Aren't you coming with us?"

"No!" he bellowed, apologizing immediately. "I need to stay... with Vriska."

"Vwiskers is a gonner, Equius! She's too sevfurrly injured!"

Equius turned back to his unofficial leader. Her breath was slowing, but was still there. She had been bruised and cut up a great deal by some of the switches and buttons and little levers on the control panel. The damage mostly came from the impact. "She is still breathing... thank gog. Nepeta, you... you know why I must stay here, correct?"

She nodded, "Ok. But be sure to catch up with us soon!" Nepeta leaped out of the window, did a flip and landed on her feet, catching up quickly with the others.

Equius lifted Vriska's body, her breath slowing down rapidly. Equius knew what he had to do. Whether or not Vriska was his matesprit came nowhere near the importance of the fact that she was his hero. And in that moment, Equius would be hers.

He took his hand behind her head, gently lifting her so she was facing him. He drew her closer and closer, sweating madly. Finally, he forced their lips to meet, breathed all he could into her, and released. Vriska blinked a few times, waking up to see, through the one eye that worked, Equius, leaning above her.

"Vriska... are you... awake?"

"Hell yeah I am. Why are you even asking?"

"Oh, thank gog!"

Vriska squirmed in his arms, "You're acting weird. Let go of me." He did as she said, placing her on her feet.

"You were unconscious, and... I saved your life. I'll explain later."

"Did the tentacle bitch escape?"

Equius stared at her, "I'm afraid so. The others are going after her. You may not be in the physical condition to-"

"Equius, I'm not going to forfeit because I have a few little scratches. Now come on. For you and everyone else, this is just about saving Feferi." If only she knew, thought Equius. "For me, it's that and... redeeming myself."

"I understand, and... that's how it is for me, too, to a lesser extent, of coarse."

"I'd love to stay and chat, but I've got an heiress to save."

"As do I." The two blue bloods lept out of the window, but did not have the same dexterity as Nepeta, and ended tumbling, Vriska landing on top of Equius.

"You know, this isn't so bad." she remarked, standing up immediately and joining the chase. Equius followed, caught up, and both ran at strenuous speed.

Vriska and Equius stopped short when they saw what was happening.

Everyone else in their crew had gathered around one area, watching as Feferi and her ancestor faced eachother, circling around, waiting to see who would make the first move.

"This is like one of Karkat's terrible action movies."

"Shut up Terezi, my movies are works of fucking art! This is a work of madness!"

"No, it's pretty different... your movies never have a RASPBERRY swirl."

Karkat sighed, "And the hero slash savior turns out to be a fucking mutant wuss."

"Quiet you guys, just, um, watch and listen." Everyone agreed with the brown blood, and they all watched nervously as the two imperial trolls stared each other down.

"So, are you going to attack me?"

"I will if you hurt one of my friends!"

"Ah... you shore don't represent our fineage whale at all. Tell me this, young one... have you ever culled a lowblood? It is so much fun. I wouldn't want you missing out."

"I've only culled cuttlefish, and by that I mean adopting them!"

"Tsk, tsk. Either you learn my ways or die." The condense thought to herself for a second, "You just won't give up, will you? You're a disgrace to our caste. I know what I'll do. I'll krill one of your landwelling friends if you don't adapt my ways. How would you pike that, mm?"

The trolls in the crowd shivered. It could be any of them. "No, I won't let you do that!"

"What a shame. There is only one way to stop me, and you know it." the condense snickered, "I've lived quite the life, and if this is the sole porpoise than so be it." She drew her trident behind her, deciding where to take aim.

"Stop it!" Feferi cried.

The condense turned to her, cackling wickedly, "I will krill them one by one, until you do what you know I want you to do." She faced the crowd again, and Feferi snuck up behind her to listen in. "I'll start with the lowest first. Now, who would that be... hm, you with the extra pair of horns?" She got right in Sollux's face.

"Don't hurt him." Feferi said, "He's my best friend in the world." Sollux just glared into the Empress' eyes with full confidence.

"There are two trolls here here lower than me." Sollux admitted.

"Tell me who's lowest or there will a trident through your stomach." Sollux knew what would happen to a certain point. He would never risk a friend's life. "That guy." He pointed to Karkat.

The mutant broke out into tears, hitting the yellow blood. "You selfish fuck! I thought we were friends!" Sollux held him back.

"Shut up Kk. You're going to live."

"Think again, sludge bloods!" She pulled her trident back, about to make a strong blow into the mutant's skull. But before she could, Feferi dug her trident into the back of her ancestors' neck. The Empress yelped in pain, and flew back to the ground.

Vriska, who had led the whole group, emerged from a bush, followed by Equius. She knelt down next to the bleeding Empress, and lifted her by her hairline. "So. Your reign over thousands of years has finally come to an end. Any last words?"

"Don't think it's over..." the Empress muttered, "It's barely even... begun..."

"You're talking nonsense. Has your think pan already started decaying?"

"...no, you'll see... things are just the way I wanted them to be..." The Empress rolled her head back, closed her eyes, and died.

Vriska stood, locking eyes with Feferi. "Wow, Peixes, you just killed your own ancestor. You alright?"

Feferi scanned her other friends around her, pausing at Karkat, than Sollux, than returning her eyes to Vriska. "I..." She began, "I'm not sure. I'm just be going to my hive than... have to think some things through..."

"You do that." Vriska said, smiling warmly. Everyone noticed Feferi wasn't her usual self. Was it from the trauma of imprisonment, or disbelief that she killed her own ancestor? The answer was uncertain, but it would soon be revealed at their inconvenience


	3. Chapter 2: The heir's apparent porpoise

Feferi sat alone in her hive, having been unable to merely sleep off what had happened earlier. It had all happened so fast. She thought she could just rest her think pan in the luscious sopor slime, but it was swimming with contemplations (no pun intended) that made her decide to instead float about her hive, swarmed with uncertainty.

Why did SHE have to be the heir apparent? She always thought the plans were all set neatly in front of her- she'd inherit the empire, make laws that everyone would be good to each other, regardless of blood color. She thought it was a mere convenience that she was going to make all that happen, and that it was all she wanted.

But something changed when she dug that trident into her ancestor's skin, watching the wound spread, watching herself gain power over her. At first it felt entirely wrong, but as the prongs poked further into the Empress' flesh, there was an unusual, almost erotic sensation that sprung from Feferi's fingertips to every corner of her body. She knew why other trolls, her ancestor especially, enjoyed murdering others. It was an addiction, a disgusting craving that would not leave her alone. It beckoned for more, telling her that she needed that sensation again, that it would feel even more beautiful if it had been a lowblood that she had killed.

_Maybe all I need is some friendly advice, _she thought. She logged on to trollion, to see that a few of the trolls on her chumroll were present. One was even messaging her, and just how convenient is it that he happened to be Karkat?

She couldn't do it. Now that she knew she might accidentally get the motivation to harm him, she couldn't let herself talk to him. Sollux was online as well. No, that would be no help. It would have the same affect. She needed consolation from another highblood, preferably someone who understood what she was going through.

She scanned her chumroll again, unable to find Vriska, Gamzee, or Terezi. They would've been the best for that. Even Equius or Kanaya might have some good advice about that. The only chum online besides her matesprit and moirail was Eridan.

It was just a terrible idea to talk to him- after all, he'd be flirting up a storm. The main reason she didn't was she knew that if she did, she'd give over to her newly discovered interest. Eridan was no where near the best at convincing, but with the added affect of her cravings, Feferi knew she'd fall right into his trap.

She clicked on his trolltag She couldn't help herself.

cuttlefishCuller (CC) began trolling caligulasAquarium (CA)

CC: -Eridan, we N-E-ED to talk.

CA: wwoah

CA: hey fef. fancy seein you here. any reason you suddenly wwant to talk to me? CC: I don't want to.

CC: But I N-E-ED to

CA: wwell, be my guest, princess.

CC: First off, don't cull m-E t)(at.

CA: hmm. i guess you are permitted to order me around, givven that your abovve me.

CA: on the hemospectrum, i mean.

CC: S-Econdly, stop )(itting on m-E. it's gotten r-E-Ely scal-E.

CA: oh come on im not hittin on you since wwhen am i doin that

CC: Nev-Ermind.

CC: I just can't )(elp sinking about w)(at )(appened earlier tonight.

CA: that fuckin asshole eq broke my fuckin arm that's wwhat

CC: I M-EANT, w)(at happened to me, wit)( my ancestor.

CA: didn't you, like... kill her or somefin?

CC: Y-ES! It's so )(ard to ber-E-Ef

CA: wword, ivve nevver been prouder.

CA: speakin of purride, nep got awway wwith my fuckin necktie!

CA: i shore am pissed about that

CC: GLUB GLUB GLUB GLUB GLUB to t)(at!

CA: wwoww, your bein dramatic.

CC: Sorry. 38(

CC: It's just that killing )(er...

CC: F-ELT SO RIGHT!

CA: yeah i knoww, hey you wwanna go find some lowwbloods somewhere and play good game a skull cracker sometime? CA: ivve alwways wwanted to do that wwith you

CC: T)(-ERE AR-E LOWBLOOD KRILLING SPORTS? 38O

CA: yeah, i do it all the time. wwould be nice if you came along once it a wwhile.

CC: S-Ea, my problem is t)(at I do want to, becaus-E it's fun, but on t)(e otter )(and, it's wrong.

CA: pffffff, wwrong my ass.

CA: you should really consider it sometime. it's not wwrong at all. there aren't many of us sea dwwellers so wwe're just evvening the population.

CC: But...

CC: Do-Esn't it -Ever eel shellfish?

CA: nope. wwe're the best, it's just howw everyfin is supposed to go.

CC: Sig)(

CC: I g-Euss I'll try it.

CA: noww there wwe go princess!

CC: W)(AT DID I SAY ABOUT CALLING M-E T)(AT? 38|

CA: cod, SORRY, your highness.

CC: You know, t)(at isn't so bad. 38)

CA: fef wwhy are you usin the browws? you knoww wwhy i dont take kindly to that.

CC: )(-E)(, sorry. Just doing my -Evil s-Eadwell-Er face

CA: yeah evvil is right.

CC: -Eridan w)(at's -Even going on wit)( you and )(-Er?

CA: wwho, you mean rez? i dont knoww wwhat your glubbin about.

CC: Wer-En't you guys kind of... tig)(t? I )(ad t)(at impr-Ession

CA: wwhat impression? that she wwas a close friend of mine? look, fef, the deal wwith me and ter is complicated to say the least. it didn't wwork out, alright?

CC: You just s-Eam a little d-Ecisive aboat it is all.

CA: wwell cod nevvermind that, are wwe goin cullin together or not?

CC: I gu-Ess, sole long as I don't )(ave to krill anybuoy I know.

CA: wwe are on!

caligulasAquarium ceased trolling cuttlefishCuller

Feferi turned off her husktop and once again tried to sleep. Maybe this was just the way things were- trolls were meant to kill, and she was more of a troll than anyone else, given her blood color. Somewhere in the back of her head, she knew it was wrong, but it was overshadowed by how excited she was to go hunting with Eridan. There was no more point in hunting lusii, but she assumed he did that too every now and then.

That morning, an ally who had no idea about her sudden change of heart attempted to contact her.

carcinoGeneticist (CG) began trolling cuddlefishCuller (CC)

CG: FEFERI, IS EVERYTHING ALRIGHT OVER THERE?

CG: OK, YOU KILLED YOUR OWN FUCKING ANCESTOR, OBVIOUSLY IT'S NOT ALRIGHT. BUT JUST HOW NOT ALRIGHT ARE YOU? I'M WORRYING MY ASS OFF ABOUT YOU, YOU LOOKED LIKE YOU WERE ABOUT TO GO BATSHIT CRAZY. HEY, I'M HERE IF YOU NEED SOMEONE TO TALK TO.

CG: FEFERI?

CG: GOGDAMMIT.

CG: WHY THE FUCK AREN'T YOU ANSWERING?

CG: IT'S NOT THAT EARLY. RISE AND SHINE, PRINCESS.

CG: FUCK, I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T MEAN TO SAY THAT. COULD YOU FORGIVE ME?

CG: FEFERI, IF I WAS REALLY WORRYING MY ASS OFF, I WOULD NOT PRESENTLY HAVE AN ASS. OK, I DO HAVE AN ASS, BUT THAT'S BECAUSE WORRYING MY ASS OFF WAS USED AS A METAPHOR.

CG: LOOK AT ALL THAT GRAY TEXT. NOT A SINGLE CHARACTER OF FUSHIA. FEFERI, IF YOU DON'T ANSWER ME RIGHT NOW I WILL START TYPING IN FUSHIA AND I WILL NOT STOP. DO YOU UNDERSTAND?

CG: CLEARLY NOT. LOOK AT MY GORGEOUS FUSHIA TEXT. HEY TEREZI, WANT SOME RAZBARRIES? OR MAYBE PETUNIAS. I HAVE NO FUCKING IDEA HOW HER NOSE WORKS. AND I HAVE NO IDEA WHY THIS PINK TEXT THING ISN'T WORKING. THAT WAS A STUPID IDEA. IS IT EVEN WORTH ASKING SOLLUX TO CONTACT AFTER I'VE GONE THROUGH THIS MUCH TROUBLE TO TALK TO YOU?

CC: )(a)(a)(a! Look you, you sailly lowblood with your MISCOLOR-ED T-EXT! 38)

CG: HEY, THERE YOU ARE. GUESS I CAN GO BACK TO THE GRAY, WHICH HAS REALLY LOST IT'S PURPOSE, BUT WHO GIVES A FUCK.

CG: ANYWAY, HOW ARE YOU, SHITTY OR REALLY SHITTY?

CC: I am doing fairly W)(AL-E, if you must know! 38D

CG: I GUESS THAT'S GOOD. MAYBE YOU'VE FORGOTTEN WHAT HAPPENED LAST NIGHT. WHICH WOULD BE SORT OF A RELIEF.

CC: Forg-Et? 38O W)(y would I want T)(AT? Last nig)(t was FUN! So muc)( -EXCIT-EM-ENT, )(u)(? Glub glub glub glub glub!

CG: YEAH GLUB GLUB GLUB WHATEVER GLAD YOU'RE DOING BETTER.

CG: WAIT... HOW THE FUCK WAS LAST NIGHT FUN?

CG: LAST NIGHT YOU FUCKING *KILLED* YOUR GOGDAMNED ANCESTOR.

CC: I know! It mad-E m-E r-E-El SO ALIV-E! 38D

CG: UM. NO. THIS...

CG: THIS ISN'T HAPPENING. NOT AGAIN. FUCK.

CG: THIS CAN'T HAPPEN.

CC: W)(at? Not muc)( is )(appening... I was just about to go c)(ill wit)( -Eridan for a bite! 38)

CG: STAY THE FUCK AWAY FROM THAT ASSHOLE. HE KILLED NEPETA'S LUSUS AND HELPED ENSLAVE YOU. HE'S NOT OUR FRIEND.

CC: Of cours-E )(e isn't YOUR fri-End, KARCRAB!

CC: )(e's too )(ig)( up for you, glub glub!

CG: WAIT... DOES THAT MEAN... OH GOG NO. FEFERI, PLEASE, NO. YOU CAN'T FUCKING DO THIS TO ME.

CC: It's more about M-E, reely. -Everything is about M-E! GLUB G LUB!

CG: DAMMIT FEFERI. I LOVE YOU. THE REAL YOU, NOT THE FUCKED UP, SUDDENLY CONFORMING TO THE HEMOSPECTRUM, SELF-CENTERED YOU.

CC: Past Feferi is a DUMB BASS! 38D

CG: NO. THIS ISN'T YOU FEFERI. GUESS I'VE GOT A BONE TO PICK WITH AMPORA.

CG: FUCK, WHY DID I SEND THAT? I'M NOT EVEN THINKING STRAIGHT.

CC: W)(en even ar-E you t)(inking you SILLY LAND DW-ELL-ER!

CG: OK, EVERYTHING I LOVED ABOUT YOU JUST WENT DOWN THE TOILET. HOW DO YOU LIKE MY *FANCY-ASS* HIGHBLOOD SPEECH, HUH? WILL IT MAKE UP FOR THE FACT THAT I'M A MUTANT? I DOUBT ANYTHING CAN, AND I DON'T GIVE A FUCK, BECAUSE NOTHING CAN BRING YOU BACK.

CG: GOODBYE, FEFERI. I HOPE THIS ISN'T THE END. I'LL ALWAYS LOVE YOU.

CG: THE REAL YOU, I MEAN.

CC: Wait, Karcrab?

CG: THE FUCK IS IT? ARE YOU GOING TO ACT NORMAL AGAIN?

CC: W)(AL-E...

CC: I am acting normal! S)(UT YOUR BLOW)(OL-E! 38D

CG: YEP. NOW YOU'RE PLAYING TRICKS LIKE THE SNEAKY HIGHBLOOD ASSWHIPE YOU'VE *DECIDED* TO BECOME. NICE KNOWING YOU, PEIXES. /3

carcinoGeneticist (CG) ceased trolling cuddlefishCuller (CC)

Karkat stared at his screen in disbelief. She was just joking, right? No. She wasn't. He would know- he knew Feferi like the back of his hand, and he had always worried about this, especially after what everyone was calling the 'Gamzee incident'.

"Kk, what happened? Is Ff alright?" Sollux inquired.

Karkat shook his head. "She's gone mad. She's changed Sollux. She's... fucking... CHANGED. I mean, the way she types, and the way she acts is all the same but... she's..." Karkat choked back tears, nearly unable to give his comrades the news. "She discovered her passion for killing."

Vriska couldn't help laughing. "You can't be serious. Sweet, innocent, impressionable Feferi Peixes, how could she suddenly go all-"

"She's NOT innocent, asshole!"

"Yeah, I think we all picked up on that, given that she's suddenly into killing!"

"Well, think about it." Terezi began, "You and I both know first hand how addicting killing is."

"AddictIVE, Pyrope." Equius corrected.

"Whatever. I have a first name, you know." She snapped back.

Equius rolled his eyes, "Fine. Continue."

"Yeah, so, seeing as Feferi killed her ancestor, she realizing how seemingly fun it is at first. Apparently, the higher you are on the spectrum, the longer the addiction lasts. Feferi, with her royal raspberry aroma, is on the top. Without interruption, it could go on her whole life."

"Excuse me, but who made you the expert speaker?"

"I made me the expert speaker. I've studied hard in many subjects. So keep your sweaty judgment out of my business, you rotten blueberry."

"You may want to reconcile your knowledge of manners." Equius replied, smirking.

Terezi wrinkled her nose in disgust, crossing her arms. "If you must know, I know plenty about that too, but I choose how and when I use my manners, and you should just get over it."

"And you two should cut the bullshit. Now. It's not helping anyone at all."

"Vriska, please, don't try to auspistize. It's unnecessary."

"I'll only do it if I need to." She demanded.

"Fine..."

"Yeah, sure, whatever."

They shook hands angrily, and Vriska snapped a mischievous grin. "That's what I like. Some sensibility, some law and order here. Now, Terezi, what were you saying?"

"I was pretty much done. Feferi's the highest of highbloods, she will therefore have a lifelong addiction to killing if nobody can change her."

"So you guys actually believe what Karkat was saying?"

"I think I might!" Terezi said, doing a playful little kick. Equius huffed. "Hey, Karkles, you a dirty little liar?"

Karkat, sitting on a windowsill, brought his knees to his chest and continued to watch the rainstorm brewing outside. "I can't believe how you're all treating this shit like it's just another fucking normal thing." He admitted. Kanaya, who had been standing silently in the dark opposite corner, crossed the room and stroked his spine. Without giving it much thought, Karkat turned to Kanaya and reached around her waist, crying into her seafoam green silk dress. She drew her arms around him, petting his hair.

"Shhh, it's alright." She whispered, as the the other trolls stared in awe.

"No... no it's not... I really need to learn to stop pitying highbloods."

"Nonsense, dear. Though I suppose it truly is not alright, but there's still some hope. We're united, and we can all help calm Feferi down."

"Calm her down?" Karkat asked, "You mean change her back into the person she really is." He sniffled. "She was always so optimistic- not in the annoying way, but she could always find a way out of shit. And that's what worries me most..."

"What do you mean?" Terezi inquired.

"I mean, she's good at quickly planning, and she can always find a million solutions to anything, including fucking up our society the way her ancestor wanted to."

"Good to know." Terezi said. "We need as much information as we can get."

"Wait... do we have plan?"

Terezi smirked and shook her head, "Vriska, just because you didn't come up with the plan doesn't mean it's a bad one."

"Pyrope, who decided that you're the one to make plans?"

Terezi shrugged. "It just... happened. That's just the way it is, so deal. Remember who has studied justice almost their whole life."

Vriska's face tightened and turned a bright shade of cerulean. "Terezi, you're fucking unbelievable!" she shouted, proceeding to storm out of the room.

"I'll take care of it." Kanaya announced.

"No, Maryam, it's alright. You already have to deal with Vantas."

"Fuck off you sweaty asshole..." Karkat muttered.

"Sure, I'll stay here. I have seen that you two do have quite a remarkable understanding of eachother."

Without another word, Equius followed Vriska outside. An electrical storm was brewing, and the wind rustled the trees and whipped Equius and Vriska's hair in front of their faces. Vriska sat on a small moss covered boulder. She was clad only in a thin black t-shirt, gray jeans that were torn at the knees, and red sneakers that had many holes in the canvas. Her entire body was completely soaked and she had to bend her knees and wrap her arms around them to keep warm. Her head was tucked into her knees, and she didn't even have to look to know which trolled was approaching her. "Hey Sweatquius." she muttered.

"Hi Vriska. I brought your coat." He carefully slung the large black jacket off his back and placed it over her shoulders. She stayed in place. "Vriska, what's the matter?"

She lifted her head. "Wouldn't you like to know." She sneered.

"Vriska." Equius began with a stern tone, "I want to know if there is anything I can help you with." He reached his arm around her shoulder.

"Don't." she snapped. Equius reclined a bit.

"Well, is it alright if I just... sit here, then?"

Vriska shrugged. "I guess you could be a source of heat." She said, slinging herself against Equius' shoulder. He tensed up and began to sweat. Vriska's mind was too distant for her to care. The two of them sat in perfect silence for a few minutes. "Ok, I'll tell you what made me get pissed off and storm out of the room, only if you promise to keep it a secret."

"I can do that." Equius answered.

"Ok, it's... it's about how I feel towards someone..." Vriska admitted.

"Ah." Equius replied, looking away. "I've been dealing with the same issue."

"Oh yeah." Vriska snorted, "That potential matesprit you and Nepeta were talking about."

"Er... yes, her." Equius said, wincing the instant the phrase escaped his lips. Did he really just give that away?

"Her." Vriska repeated, "Good to know." She thought about it for a second. "So, yeah, I've got some pity worked up about someone, and I'm positive they don't feel the same."

"Well, at least you know whether or not it is the way you want than to be wallowing in uncertainty about it."

"Nah, I'd rather still have a chance at it. Hey, I'll tell you who it is if you do the same."

"Vriska, I'm not sure I'd be able to-"

"Well, just to make a point of it, I'll tell you pretty much right off the bat that I'm pale for Terezi. Isn't that messed up?"

"Oh. I see..." Equius said, with slight dismay. "What's the problem with her being your moirail?"

"I fucking blinded her!" Vriska snapped, "That, and people around me seem to think we should have some blackrom rivalry, some even think we actually are kismesis! But... I feel like right now she's struggling to figure out who she is."

"Is she?" Equius inquired.

"Well, when we were in there, first she started acting like Kanaya, being all 'blahblah I study a lot I know shit', than sometimes she goes into Karkat mode and starts spontaneously making up ideas and forcefully dropping others ideas, than the worst is when she acts like I used to, where she jumps to conclusions about enemies and attack advantages. I think the problem is that she's trying to be an adult and can't accept that she's just a laughing spazz who likes to draw with chalk, and roleplay with stuffed dragons. She's a wriggler at heart and she just can't accept it."

"Well..." Equius began, "You sure seem to understand her, and I'm sure you could help her with said issue very much!" He hoped she'd pick up on what he meant to imply.

"Gog, what's your problem?" Vriska snapped, sitting back up and knocking the jacket off her shoulders. Her sudden burst of rage caught Equius off guard.

"Excuse me?" he inquired.

"Sorry..." she groaned, standing and facing away from him, "It's just... you're always all awkward and twitchy around me, WAY more so than with other people. Any reason for that?"

"Well, erm, I just..." He couldn't let it out. It didn't feel like the right time.

"Like that! And how you're always agreeing with me and riding my coat tails, and doing things for me. Don't think I can't see through your little act, Zahhak."

"C-can you...?"

"Pffft, course I can. You're acting all respectful to me because you think I'll let my guard down and let you have more than your share of power. But look, I'm not that kind of leader, you know, if I even am any sort of leader. I mean, I'm not divvying out roles and responsibilities and, despite my old self, I'm not trying to scare people into obeying me. I don't even need to do that, technically, but I just want to do something right for once."

"I know, you've said so on many occasions."

"Yeah. Hey, so just so know, you don't HAVE to go out of your way for me. I mean, if you want to, please do, but it doesn't mean you'll get the power you want."

"I never said I wanted-"

"I know, I figured out. I'm watching you, Zahhak. With all eight eyes." She flipped up the eye patch she always wore to reveal a robotic eye that had all the abilities and more of the eye she lost flarping. "Speaking of which, I've known you were just sucking up to me since you gave me this thing for my eight wriggling day. Nobody else knows about this thing, right? You aren't going to use it against me?"

"Vriska, I would never."

"Oh, you." She punched his shoulder playfully, retracting and shaking her hand. "Damn. I I'm not the only one with secret weapons, huh? But hey, your sucking up gave me a good laugh, so I guess I feel better! Thanks for that!" Vriska sat back down next to Equius, facing the opposite way. "Maybe you're due for a promotion..." she whispered seductively, giving Equius goose bumps. Their faces were so close that Equius saw it as an opportunity to express his feelings- to kiss her. Instead, he sat stiffly in place, trembling from the pressure building up in his think pan. Suddenly, in his final burst of conflicted emotions, Equius stood and ran off.

"...Equius? Where you going?" Vriska called as he disappeared into the bushes. Vriska stood and ran after him. "Hey, come back here, idiot! You could get struck by lightning. You're not making me any less suspicious!" She managed to come in a few feet behind him, but Equius only ran faster. The large plants in the way proved to be no problem for him. Vriska, on the other hand, found herself tripping over them and having a tough time pushing them away, all the while calling, "Equius! Hey, Equius. Are you really doing this? I thought you were smarter than this. Know what? Maybe I'm just dreaming this. Maybe all this running after you is a waste of energy because I'm about to wake up in my cozy little recuperacoon and realize this is all in my brain. But regardless, I'm going to keep following you in case this is real, because I need to know what you're deal is. I mean, I can't use my tricks on you, so I have to rely on-"

"Serket, for Gog's sake, shut your trap!" he shouted.

"Oh... well, heh, at least you said something..." Vriska looked around and noticed they were in an open field. Equius dropped himself dismally onto the wet grass.

"I... I'm sorry. I've been nothing but trouble lately, haven't I?"

"Nah." Vriska answered, "I like having you around." She stepped back into forest so the trees would protect her from lightning. "You shouldn't be sitting out there during the electrical storm. It's dangerous."

Equius ignored her- he was too immersed in his own thoughts. He knew he'd have to tell her at some point or another, so why not now? "Vriska, I'd like to explain why I've been so... twitchy and hesitant as of late."

"Oh yeah?" Vriska inquired, as Equius stood and approached her, crossing his arms.

"I'd like you to know that I... Well, I... Gog, this isn't as easy as-"

"Take your time, I'm listening."

He drew in a deep breath. He was ready. "I am-" His body jolted upward as bolt of lightning struck him. He collapsed behind himself on the ground, eyes shut, unconscious.


	4. Chapter 3: The confession

"E-Equius? Oh shit... Ok, can't panic here just... arg!" Vriska searched herself for something that she could access trollion with, but found nothing. Instead, she took Equius' glasses. How did he stand wearing those things with the cracks? She didn't have time to ponder. She flicked on the computer, and noticed Equius already had trollion running. She contacted many allies, and spoke to the first person to pick up.

AC: 833 equius? what happened with you and vwiskers?

AC: 833 pawlease don't do anything too naughty while you're with her x33

CT: Nepeta what are you talking a8out?

AC: 833 vwiskers? why are you using equius' trollion?

CT: 8ecause I don't have any computers! And he was struck 8y lightning.

AC: 833 :OO

CT: Look, I w8rned him, he didn't listen, so now I'm stuck out h8re with his unconsi8us 8ody 8nd I don't kn8w wh8t to do a8out it!

AC: 833 well how would i be able to help?

CT: I don't kn8w! Equius is the go-to guy for this stuff. Like, my 8rm, T8vros' legs, G8mzee's ev8ryth8ng... I triiiiiiiied Kan8ya but she didn't 8nswer.

CT: I'm p8nicing here, 8lr8t? C8n't you just... think of something?

AC: 833 vwiskers, you sound weirdly concerned furr my meowrail. i mean, weird fur you.

CT: Look, we're good fr8nds 8nd he's a cl8se 8usiness p8rtn8r 8nd I d8n't w8nt him to die!

AC: 833 you think he'll die? :'((

CT: Shiiiiiiiit.

CT: I dunno. I'll... try to rev8ve him someh8w

AC: 833 pawlease, do what you can! im not ready to lose my meowrail!

CT: Duuuuuuuurr. No8ody is ever re8dy to lose th8ir moirr8il!

AC: 833 vwiskers. stop being- arg i cant say this equius might read the log x||

CT: 8itchy?

AC: 833 um,

AC: 833 purr, why not? :33

CT: Ehem.

CT: I'm leaving. Got a troll to revive.

AC: 833 gogsp33d, vwiskers!

centaursTesticle ceased pestering arsenicCatnip

AC: 833 h33 h33

AC: 833 meow theres the sloppy meowkouts i wanted!

AC: 833 er. i nefurr typed that :\\

Out of instinct, Vriska closed the trollion application, and accidentally went to Equius' homescreen.

_Oh boy_, she thought, _If kissing him wasn't enough, how about a look at a sample of his musclebeast porn?_ Luckily for her, the desktop was really only some hoofbeasts galloping around. She could see why he liked those things- they were wild and free and just didn't give a fuck. She laughed to herself- what Equius would do if she'd told him she'd come up with that. She saw that he had a folder labeled 'journals', and tried to keep herself from snooping, but a trolls gotta have some fun, right? She just had to occasionally make sure Equius was still breathing fine. She sat next to him so she could be sure.

The journals all were titled merely with dates. Vriska opened the most recent entry and began reading. "Holy shit..." she whispered. This journal was about her! It went on about how much he admired her efforts to change her ways, though he knew he 'should've' been upset about it. He also wrote about how he thought she could help and inspire others if they were more minded, that she was the only reason he'd gotten involved in the 'ordeal with Pei%es', and that he wished he could stop holding back his feelings and have the courage to tell her the truth. The truth? About what?

Than it hit her- SHE was the secret flushed crush. How did she not notice before? She thought about it, being matesprits with Equius. How bad could it be? He obviously respected her, trusted her, listened to her. He saw her for who she was. The sweating and the fact that he had no sense of humor were drawbacks, sure, but there's no a perfect matesprit for anyone, and Vriska knew this. But regardless, she needed to revive Equius.

She made sure he was still breathing, still had a pulse, and hesitantly pressed her lips to his. As she released, she watched Equius slowly regain consciousness, sweating and panting as his eyelids half opened. "S-serket...?" he said with barely a breath. She was still holding his shades- she'd have to explain, wouldn't she. She'd also have to close the journal, but before she put them back on, Equius snatched the glasses from her hands. That was a quick recovery. "Why were you holding my eyewear?"

"Oh... er, hey Equius, eheh, nice seeing you here."

"I asked you a question." he demanded.

Vriska sighed. "I used them to contact Nepeta about what happened. She couldn't do anything, so I... sat here and waited for you to wake up, of course! Kept an eye on you while you were sleeping."

Equius shook his head. "I you well, Vriska, and I know when you're lying. You probably didn't really care for the fact that I was unconscious." He stood, and began dismally loping back to the forest.

"Wait, don't leave me hanging again." The shrill, sudden sound of Vriska's voice caused Equius to freeze in place. "That went over just swimmingly last time, right? We were just taking and you sprinted off into the abyss of trees and shit. I mean stuff! You know I meant to say that, but really, 'shit' and 'stuff' are pretty much interchangeable to most people, so-"

"Vriska, your meaningless babbling fails to help anyone."

She snorted a laugh, "And your extravagant word choice does?"

He sighed. "It's almost too much to be around you."

"So why are you always following me? And why am I always following you? Do you think there's some... untapped reason for that?" He turned to her, wondering if she knew, and if so, how?

"It's more complicated than you may realize." He bit his lip and placed his glasses back on as if in anticipation to return to their base. He gasped at what he saw. "Serket?" he angrily inquired.

She gave a fake smile and blushed a bit. "Yeah, what?"

"Why is my most recent journal entry open?"

"Why you asking me? Your glasses did that themselves!" Well, he knew her secret, there was no denying that, but Vriska couldn't let the truth win her over. Not so easily anyway.

"I'm not even going to ask if you read it. It's at the bottom of the page." He turned off the computer, and Vriska assumed Equius would either run up to her and hit her for reading through his private journals, or do something romantic because there was nothing left to hide. Instead, he approached her and took a seat on the ground and pointed his head down. "You know my secret now. Please, be angry with me if you can't help yourself."

Vriska sat next to him and looked him straight in the eyes... sunglasses. "I'm not angry, Equius." He looked back up at her, and by her sincere expression and tone, he could trust her. "Why would I be angry at you about that?"

"Well, I thought since we're both blue bloods-"

"Wait, what?" Vriska snapped, causing Equius to wince. She composed herself again, "Sorry. Go on."

"We're close on the spectrum, and I thought that us being matesprits would be... too traditional for your recent tastes."

"Traditional? Implying that I'm trying to fight the hemo-spectrum?"

"I thought that's what-"

"Bullshit, Equius. Sorry, but that is just bullshit." Vriska snapped, standing up. "There's a lot to explain. The rain's almost stopped. Let's take a walk." Equius nodded, standing up and taking her side. "I should've brought my jacket."

"You don't say." Equius grumbled, taking note of the temperature drop as they trudged through the grass.

"Look, I'm not trying to destroy the hemo-spectrum, but I don't support it either. I've honestly been ignoring it through this whole process, whatever anyone else thinks it is. For me... I'm just figuring out what I believe in, and not going to base it on some system that's already said it's part. If I went for some path that's already been taken, that'd be the easy way out. You know I'm not one to take the easy road, right?"

Equius nodded. "Are you looking instead for the correct road, then?"

"Exactly." Vriska answered. "But... my wrigglerhood was taken over by the Mindfang bullshit, and other crap that's standard for us highbloods, and that's supposed be my time to figure out who I am. When I realized how ridiculous and formulaic the Mindfang approach was- and you're going to have to cut me some slack here- I initially felt jealous of Terezi."

Equius became slightly tense at the name of his kismesis. "What's there to envy in Pyrope?"

"Well, this doesn't apply now," Vriska admitted, "but when I figured this out, I thought she had it all figured out. She'd always been true to herself, and I thought that it would stay like that indefinitely. But a little over a sweep ago, she's started to lose her sense of self. I've been trying to pull her out of it, but she just holds a grudge against me. And I guess she has the right to, but... arg. I wish she'd listen."

"If it helps at all, I've been listening to all you have to say to me, and I'll continue to do so."

"I noticed." Vriska said, unable to hold back a smile.

"I know conditions aren't good with... you and Pyrope... but I at least would like to know how you feel about you and I... in terms of our relationship, now that you know I'm-" he squinted, "-flushed for you."

"Equius." she began, softly but with much determination. "I just found out. Let me think about it for a little longer. I'll tell you when I have an answer."

"Alright Vriska. I'll try to maintain patience."

"Yeah, let's get back inside." They took the half hour walk back to their base in complete silence. They kept watching eachother- they were both anxious given the circumstances, and neither was able to hide it from the other.

Meanwhile, some miles away on Alternia, two trolls celebrated their success at killing every mutant and rust blood on the planet in one day. Aside from one who was spared out of pity, though said pity was denied by both killers.

"See that, Fef? I knew you had it in you." Eridan whispered into her ear, with a malicious smile spread across his face. Feferi slowly formed a similar facial expression to her hunting partner.

"Thanks for taking me culling! It was the most fun I've ever had!" Feferi shouted triumphantly. She surveyed the scene- corpses of both shades of red blooded trolls were scattered across the lay below them, and their blood stained the hills. Never did she think dead bodies could be so fantastic and exciting!

"So Fef, since this is your first culling trip, I was thinking... we could deem this our own little monument, eh?"

"Crimson hill." she demanded. "We'll call it Crimson hill, and it's the mark of OUR victory! Glub glub!"

"Eheh..." Eridan said, "We certainly work well together!"

"Yeah..." Feferi turned to him, "Not what you're thinking, though!" She burst into laughter.

"Oh, just hilarious, isn't it?" Eridan said, looking up and down Feferi's body. Why couldn't that perfect figure be his? He thought she looked even sexier with her black off the shoulder dress, that reached her feet, but the lower half of it was made up of many different pieces that the bare skin of her legs showed between. She caught him staring at her often, and scolded him every time. He knew it was hopeless for them to ever become matesprits, but he still couldn't help daydreaming about it often.

"So Fef," Eridan began, reminded by the subject of flushed feelings, "There's one more mutant we haven't killed. You know who I'm talking about, right?"

"That doesn't count!" Feferi yelled, "We know him personally! Besides," she paused to adjust a clump of her massive hair, "Isn't it more interestingray if we let one swim out of the net?"

Eridan sulked, "Yeah, shore, whatever you say your highness..."

Feferi tipped her head to the side and smiled, "I love it when people cull me that!" she said with a giggle. She stuck her trident into the hill her and Eridan were standing on, and shouted gleefully as loud as she could, "This place is now known as Crimson hills, and it is a monument of fantastic sea dweller glory! Glub glub!" Her voice was heard by nearby trolls, who wrote down what they heard and quickly ran to give the information to reporters. The next day, the news of Crimson hill had gotten through to the alliance that had rescued Feferi from her ancestor. Kanaya was the first to find out.

"Every rust and mutant blood... DEAD?" She read, proceeding to anxiously fun upstairs, where Karkat and the rest of the group was sleeping. "Karkat!" she cried.

"Kanaya..." He murmured, half asleep, "What... the fuck..."

"Karkat! You're alive!" She lifted him off the ground and hugged him tightly.

"Why the fuck wouldn't I be?"

She let go of him, letting him drop back to the floor. "I'm sorry, Karkat, it's just..." Kanaya tipped her head down glumly, "There was news all over the internet that informed me of the founding of a monument recently claimed by Feferi-"

"Oh shit, Feferi..." Karkat rolled on his side so he faced away from Kanaya, "Don't remind me of her. I'm trying to block her from my memory. I haven't been doing well on my own. It's just fucking great for you to barge in here and remind me."

Kanaya rubbed his shoulder. "I'm sorry. But... It's fatally important news, especially concerning you. Please, come downstairs as soon as is convenient." She stood, and made her way across the room, though she stood still when she reached the door. Out of the corner of her eye, Kanaya saw two trolls in the corner, sleeping beneath the same blanket. She swiftly made her out, slamming the door behind her. Most of the party remained asleep, aside from one of the trolls in the corner.

He blinked his eyes open, surprised at the face in front of him. "Vriska?" Equius whispered, eliciting no response from her. He pet her hair gently, wondering what she was doing next to him. He wriggled closer, stroking her cheek. Suddenly, Vriska began to slowly open her eyes. Equius snapped back out of shock.

"Hey Equius." She muttered, half asleep. She rolled from her side onto her back, yawned and stretched, regaining consciousness. She looked right into his eyes. "I've been thinking about, you know, us being matesprits... and, I have to admit, I like it."

Equius looked right back at Vriska, the confident look in her eyes, even the mechanical one. He smiled brighter than ever, and Vriska reached behind his neck, pulling herself closer and drawing their lips together. She held on for a few seconds, than released, staring blankly into Equius' eyes.

"Well?" Vriska whispered, breathing heavily. "Is that what you wanted?"

"Yes, please." Equius answered, drenched in sweat. "Please, just a little more."

"I think we could do that." Vriska replied, gripping Equius' shoulder, signaling him to flip onto his back. He did so, than crawled backwards to lean against the wall. Vriska knelt over his lap, and once again pressed her lips against Equius'. "This is happening so fast." She whispered against his cheek, panting.

"Regardless of speed, I'm enjoying the direction you're taking this." Equius replied through heavy breaths.

He gave Vriska's shoulder a light tug, signaling her back up. She sat up to face him, and he leaned forward and put his tongue in her mouth. They rolled their lips against eachother, and Vriska reached up to stroke Equius' hair. He ran his fingers gently down her spine. They were wrapped up in the cloud of this moment, minds swallowed by the depth of such an intimate interaction. This one mutual action felt like forever- all time that had ever happened, or ever would happen. They waited until a foreign being beckoned them to stop.

"It's a bit early to be fornicating!" Terezi called drowsily from a few feet away.

Vriska slid off Equius' lap. "Fornicating? The fuck does that-"

"We were NOT fornicating." Equius snapped.

Terezi shook her head. "Yeah, well, you were close. I could smell you guys getting all close to each other, canoodling and whatnot. It was pretty yucky."

"It wasn't your business, Pyrope!"

"Than how come you were making out around everyone else? I'm the blind one, and even I could tell!"

"Everyone else is asleep. Besides, you can see in a different way, so you aren't exactly blind."

"Know what? I'm still tired. Come on, Equius. We need a little more sleep. Probably some work to do. If I don't sleep, my mind will be all over the place."

Equius sighed. "I suppose I need a bit more rest."

Vriska lay back down and Equius lay down next to her. She crawled closer to him and he put his arms around her, giving her a kiss on the forehead.

"Well, while you two are 'sleeping'," Terezi said as she stood, "I'm going to go see if there's anything important going on. Smell ya later!" She scampered out to meet Kanaya.

"Who does she think she is?" Equius scoffed.

"She doesn't know who she is." Vriska answered, "You know that's how I see it."

"Let's just... get some rest."

"Please." They closed their eyes and clenched to eachother, as if for dear life. Another two pairs of eyes scanned them from across the room.

"It's VK and EQ now, huh?" Sollux whispered.

"Wow, didn't see that coming, eheh." Tavros whispered back.

The two of them made their way downstairs to see Terezi standing in a corner contemplating and Kanaya sitting at a table with her head down.

"KN, what's up?" Sollux inquired.

"It's... just unbearable. I can't believe they would do such a thing."

"Um, who did what?"

"I dunno, Tav. Can't be good though." Sollux answered, grabbing a bottle of beer from the counter and taking a seat on a bench against the wall. Tavros took his side. Kanaya turned to him at the sound of the beer opening. "Sollux, are you drinking what I think you're drinking?"

"I'm eight sweeps, I can do what I want." He pointed the bottle to Terezi. "Hey TZ, care for a sip?" She nodded, making her way over. She hesitantly lifted the bottle to her lips, took a tiny sip and cringed. "If you don't like it don't drink it."

"No, it's delicious, I think I should save it for you."

Sollux shrugged. "Thanks, I guess. Tav?"

"Yeah, I'd like some." He took the bottle and took a swig before handing it back to Sollux.

"Hits the spot doesn't it?"

"Um, yeah, definitely."

Kanaya stood, disgusted. "I can't believe you, just withering your think pans away at such a ripe age."

"KN, last time I checked my think pan was trying to kill me anyway."

"Well you're only making matters worse." And with that, Kanaya stormed out of the room.

"That's her way of flipping her shit, isn't it." Sollux commented.

"What's her problem? We can drink if we want."

"Meh." Sollux replied, "I only do it because it makes the voices fainter."

"Oh. For me, I guess it relieves anxiety, and you know, makes a bit more able to stand up to people, I think."

Sollux took another sip. "I don't even drink more than twice a week. In fact, I do it exactly twice a week. Think of it as my own medical prescription to myself."

"But... only certain highbloods can get doctors, right?"

"Fuck it. I don't need the highbloods permission to do what I want." He raised his eyebrows, eliciting barely a grin from Tavros, who had become far more glum.

Kanaya came back in, still glaring. "I've done a bit of thinking, and decided it's your decision if you want to accelerate your body's natural deterioration. I have more important matters to discuss with you. I'm referring to Feferi's recent culling ventures. Even I can't bring myself to believe it."

"Culling ventures?" Sollux inquired. "Has she really become like TZ and VK used to be?"

"Don't remind me..." Terezi mumbled.

"I'm afraid it's true." She opened her husktop on the table and retraced her steps to the article. "Just come over here and read this. It's just horrific."

Terezi, Sollux, and Tavros gathered around Kanaya. "Crimson hill monument founded." Tavros read. "That doesn't sound all that bad."

"Keep reading." Kanaya ordered, and they all read in silence, Terezi moving closer so she could sniff the small text.

"Woah, fuck." Was the first reaction. "FF killed all the mutant and rust bloods living on the planet... except one." Sollux blinked, shaking his head. "Does KK know about this?"

"I'm afraid not. I woke him, and told him to get down here, but he hasn't showed. I've been keeping track of everyone's sleep patterns, and noticed that Karkat is always late to rise." She stared at the illustration from the article for a few seconds. "It's just too awful for me to even believe."

"Well, it's right here on the most reliable news sight. Sucks for us."

Kanaya shook her head. "This is too much. And now I worry for Karkat's safety."

"You worry about him a lot." Terezi said, receiving a glare. "What? Everyone can tell there's something."

Kanaya sulked back down. "No. He'd never take anyone over that idiot Gamzee. Ugh, I can barely stand to say his name."

"A nice way to speak of a guy who's got almost his entire body replaced by machines."

"Hey guys." Vriska called, emerging from upstairs, followed by Equius.

"Oh." Terezi sneered, "It's you two."

"Good morning Vriska, Equius." Kanaya chimed, forcing a smile.

Equius frowned. "Is something wrong, Maryam?"

"Nope. Everything is just lovely over here, isn't it?" The three trolls gathered around remained silent.

"Oh... nevermind."

"Equius!" Nepeta shrieked from behind, pouncing on his shoulders.

"Oh, Nepeta... you're awake. I mean, cease this foolishness." She laughed, leaping off and taking a seat at the table.

"Sup NP."

"Sup." Nepeta repeated, mimicking Sollux's tone and lisp. They all turned their heads as Karkat audibly stumbled into the wall. A few seconds of silence took place.

"Um, hi Karkat!" Tavros chimed, breaking the silence.

"Hey assholes. Guess who got almost no sleep last night?"

Nepeta giggled. "Such a curmeowgeon."

"Isn't he?" Sollux replied.

"Oh, fuck off, Captor. You know damn well what kept me up."

Sollux sighed. "It was FF, wasn't it."

"Yeah... I can't stop thinking about her. Knowing there's a better way for her than the bullshit she might be doing now." He paused to gather his thoughts. "You know, I think I have to confront her. I'm not about to repeat my mistakes. You know, the ones that got my moirrail nearly killed."

"You may want to reconsider." Kanaya said, signaling him over. Karkat's eyes grew wide as he read through the article. Vriska, Equius, and Nepeta followed.

"This... fuck, no. No!"

"Shhh, come here." Kanaya put her arm behind Karkat's back, but he swat her away.

"No, Kanaya! I can't just fucking be calmed into not giving a fuck. But, at the same time, it's too late to stop her. She's got so much power, and from now on she's just going to use it for murder... fuck, I... I don't even know an more."

"Karkat." Vriska began.

"Sorry, Vriska, but I'd rather not hear from anyone, and don't think you're the exception."

"We can still stop Feferi. She hasn't killed everyone, right? Look, the best we can do now is make sure Feferi kills less in the future. How we'll do that is beyond me, but it's a starting point."

"You know, Vriska..." Terezi cut in, "I'm sick of how you can just take over, as if we can't all see why you're really doing this." Vriska turned her head.

"And just why is that?" Equius inquired. "Enlighten us, smart one."

"Oh gog, don't you start this bullshit again. I just got up. We've got bigger things to worry about."

Karkat turned his head to Vriska. "Is it just me, or do I sort of trust and agree with Vriska?"

"She's using her tricks, isn't she?"

"Terezi, you're not even giving me a chance." Equius began to say something, but Vriska put a finger to his mouth. "Not now, sweetheart. We've got real shit to deal with."

"Uh... sweetheart?" Tavros asked hesitantly.

"Don't mind it. I think... I think we should stop wasting time and get to that Crimson Hills place. The article said the reporters were with a crowd. Somehow Feferi is keeping herself from killing them."

"Yeah. Let's get our lazy asses to the action. I'll try to keep a low profile." At that, all of them stood and left to the gathering at Crimson Hills. Kanaya took Karkat's side. "I'll be fine, Kanaya. I promise." She just shook her head. "Kanaya, don't worry. I'll keep a low profile."

She put her arm around Karkat's shoulder. He leaned into her, and Kanaya kept her arms around him as they walked, and began to sing to him, quietly so only they could hear.

_Lay your head down child I won't let the boogeyman come Count the bodies like sheep To the rhythm of the war drums Pay no mind to the rabble Pay no mind to the rabble Head down, go to sleep to the rhythm of the war drums_


	5. Chapter 4: It boils down to this

By the time Vriska, Terezi, and the rest of their group had arrived at the newly claimed 'Crimson Hills', hundreds of others had gathered around too. Feferi was giving a speech to the crowd. Karkat stayed in the back, making sure to keep his hair in front of his eyes. Kanaya was there to protect him as needed.

"Behold, land dwellers and low bloods alike!" Feferi chimed through a megaphone. "This monument here marks the true glory of Alternia. It represents all the reasons to obey me, as well as your other superiors. To us sea dwellers you are all the same, so don't you blue and indigo bloods think you have any more right to disobey us than the other dirtbloods!" She skipped and pranced around the top of the hill as she spoke, just like she did before she'd taken to the ways of her ancestor.

"Wow, it's like she's not even the same troll." Tavros whispered to Sollux.

"Yeah." Sollux sighed, "She's gone insane. Guess I'm down a moirrail... again."

Tavros looked up at his comrade- Sollux, along with Karkat, had that bond with Feferi that filled a gap almost nobody else could. Not only were him and Feferi moirrails, but they shared one of the most special pale bonds that anyone on the team knew. When Sollux felt like 'shit was flying off the handle', Feferi would listen to anything he had to say, and offer positive- not unrealistic, but positive- advice on whatever he needed, and she knew what made him better.

"If you need to talk about it, I'm here... or if you need to not, that's okay too. You know, um, whatever you need."

"Thanks Tavros." Sollux muttered, staring at the ground. He wondered how Aradia would've reacted to the fact that he had been moirrails with Feferi. Of course, he knew the last couple times he talked to her, she would have just been '0kay' with it, and nothing else. She never had an opinion on anything when she was a ghost. Even he- with the voices and psychic abilities and such- wondered how a ghost died.

But the truth was, Aradia's ghost hadn't died. She had traveled to a place where nobody would find her. This place was said to have spirit lifting powers- the center of an active volcano, not far from what was now crimson hills. The voices had told her to go there, and she didn't see why not. She now sat, inside the volcano, lotus position. She had been meditating since she had arrived- almost a sweep and a half prior to the day of the Crimson Hills celebration. The steam from the magma wafted in and out of her pours, carrying energy that was left over from dead spirits.

There was a catch to the volcano- only spirit energy of trolls of the same caste as the ghost could revive them. Also, after a few weeks, the energy from any one spirit would have been scattered off across Alternia by now. The chances of a dead troll becoming a ghost and having a sufficient number of trolls of their caste die with the right amount of time was scarce. Aradia, however, had been told by the voices that on that day, she would be revived. Her eyes had been closed the entire time in the volcano, and as she drew her first breath in sweeps, she opened her newly restored yellow eyes to the magma sprouting up.

She was alive, sure, but she had to escape or else she'd be dead again as soon as she was reborn. She was slightly amused by the irony, but she missed being alive. She looked about, realizing she was on the edge of a narrow chunk of rock that jutted out from the inner wall of the volcano- she'd forgotten she'd sat there. She saw the tunnel she'd come from, and escaped in a scamper with her back pressed to the wall so she wouldn't be blasted by lava. She made it out in the nick of time.

Aradia ran from the volcano, magma in pursuit of her every step. The volcano must have been reacting to the overload of spiritual energy. She eventually found a small hole in the dirt, probably dug up by a hopbeast. Before she had become a ghost, she had developed many survival skills. One of these was the ability to quickly dig holes. She dug herself a small cave, hoping it would be enough protection from the cullers. She hid her cave with a pile of fallen leaves, and began looking for food quietly. Unfortunately, her old fashioned hunting abilities weren't anything to speak of, and she had no weapons. She instead decided to move the leaves away from atop the hole, stood near it so she could hide quickly, and instead made spirits search for food. It sure was convenient having the gift of this power.

She lived like this for a few short days before she was reminded how it felt to be bored. She missed having ruins to explore. She then remembered that she was near a volcano that had just erupted. She knew it was probably dangerous, but she didn't want to just be alive, she wanted to live. Aradia knew her life wasn't supposed to be just a bunch of sitting around grabbing food.

When she began inspecting the volcano, she thought there wouldn't be much more than just a bunch of volcanic rock. Well, it was better than no adventure. She picked through the pile of rocks for a few hours, collecting a few that stood out. She saw one especially shiny one, and decide it was worth picking up and looking at. When she lifted it, many rocks tumbled into some kind of ditch. She moved as many of the rocks out of the way, felt around and discovered it was not just a ditch, but a tunnel. Now this was exploring! She crawled into the tunnel, and made her way into a cave full of ancient wall carvings.

"Wow, this is neat." were her first words she'd spoken since before entering the volcano and beginning her recovery process. She crawled out of the tunnel and stood, almost hitting her head on the low ceiling of the cave. "Guess I have to be careful!" she giggled, curiously examining the carvings. They seemed to tell some kind of story, as if it was a prophecy. It was lined up with various panels, almost like a comic strip. She was then reminded of Terezi, and how she missed all her friends, who probably thought she was gone forever anyway. Even Vriska might have been better company than this.

Aradia ignored her frivolous thoughts and examined the carvings on the wall, trying to figure out the story they told. The characters were all depicted as stick figures. Before deciphering the story, she realized who the characters resembled.

They resembled her old friends and acquaintances. It was almost like a sign, a wake up call telling her what was important. The carvings were most likely meaningless, but she made a note of their location anyway, because they were worth looking at as soon as she didn't have more important things to look for. But how was she supposed to find her friends? Would they find her first? She thought about this as she made her way back to the dirt hole, realizing what a terrible shelter it made. Bad weather or wild beasts could destroy it so easily. Regardless, she climbed in and got the rest she needed after a long day of exploration. She couldn't help wondering where her friends were. She could ask the spirits the next day, but for the time being, she needed rest.

Back at the Crimson Hills ceremony, one of Aradia's closest old friends was contemplating speaking up, right in the middle of the speech.

"If she'll listen to anyone, she'll listen to me." Sollux argued to his ally, who was attempting to stop him from trying to talk some sense into Feferi, saying it was too dangerous with all the highbloods around. "I'm her moirrail. It's my job."

"If she even heard you, she'd, um, hurt you before she realized who you were." Tavros argued weakly. "I don't want you to get hurt."

"That's nice." Sollux replied. "I don't want millions of trolls getting hurt, and in this case, it'd sort of be my fault for not speaking up and doing what needs to be done. So just let me do my thing, alright?" Tavros thought for a second- in theory, Sollux was completely right. In reality, he'd get blown to bits. Anyone of any caste would get blown to bits for speaking out against Feferi so blatantly. Not to mention the fact that she had a swarm of sea dweller henchmen stationed along the hills.

"No." Tavros demanded. "I, uh... I can't let you get hurt. You'll die if you do this. Sollux, please don't do this. I don't want you to die." He couldn't think of any better way to express his thoughts. Tavros didn't want any of his friends to die, of course, but Sollux was a special exception, though he couldn't put a finger on why.

Sollux sighed. "Alright, fine! I'll keep it to myself for now." He shook his head. "We're both going to regret this some day, you know."

"I don't think so."

"Whatever." Sollux grumbled, crossing his arms.

"Don't worry, I'm not taking this for granted, what your going through, I mean. It is a really big deal." Tavros said, slinging arm over Sollux's shoulder. Sollux raised an eyebrow at him, and Tavros gave him a warm, sensitive smile. Sollux breathed in deeply, exhaling with a long 'Ugh'. He crashed against Tavros, who held him tight with both arms and quietly shooshed him.

"Shhhhhh." He whispered, unable to think of anything else. Sollux sniffled, turning back to Tavros and burying his face in his shoulder. "Shhhhhh." A tall, navy blood and her teal-blooded friend whispered and gawked at them.

"Fuck off..." Sollux muttered, looking the teal blood straight in the eyes.

"Shhhhhh... just ignore them."

"You're right." Sollux whispered back.

Towards the front of the crowd stood Vriska, Terezi, Equius and Nepeta. The latter two watched in silence and bewilderment, trying to ignore the other two arguing quietly about how to take down Feferi's new empire.

"Look." Terezi began, "If we don't gather an army of trolls who want to take down this monarchy soon, we're all doomed."

"But an army will only make things worse!" Vriska snapped back, "We need to be strategic. You know, spread the word until we have more people on our side, take it down from the inside out. Make her surrender so we don't have to pay with our lives."

"That sounds boring and like a complete waste of time."

Vriska lowered an eyebrow. "Your idea sounds boring and like a complete waste of energy. If we _secretly_ get people involved, we won't be taken down so easily."

"Someone would report you."

"Who said we couldn't just, you know, leave around anonymous fliers spreading the message? That way, if someone reports them, they won't know who to turn to." Terezi stared at Vriska for a second, trying to think of a good argument. Vriska smirked.

"So, it's come to this." Terezi scoffed. "Here we are, arguing about whether we should take the peaceful route or the violent route, and you, of all people, are advocating for peace."

"Come on, Terezi. I'm a whole new troll now. I've thought about this a lot, okay? I know you don't believe me, but could you at least give me a chance?"

Terezi shook her head slowly, wearing a stern glare on her face. "You had many chances, Vriska. Why should I believe it's any different this time?"

"Well... because it is different!"

Terezi continued to shake her head. "I'm going to go form an army against her. Don't try to get in my way, Serket."

"But Terezi... it's more difficult if you split off. Then the force to take her down won't be as powerful if we're not united."

"United under YOUR plan, you mean? Since you're so sure your idea is right."

"You know what? I am. I like my plan, and I'm going to try it regardless of what you do. And I won't force it upon anyone, because I know you were going to ask."

"Fine." Terezi snapped.

"Fine." Vriska hissed back. Terezi disappeared into the crowd, and the instant she was gone, Vriska crashed into Equius' shoulder.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"Meh... no."

He stroked her shoulder and kissed her hair. "You need some rest. We'll find a warm place to stay. I promise."

"It's not that." Vriska mumbled, pecking him on the cheek. "I'll tell you later."

"Whatever you need." He whispered back.

Nepeta stood next to them, and had been glaring into the eyes of one troll- Eridan Ampora. He stood there, acting like a hero, acting like he wasn't the pathetic smartass Nepeta thought he truly was. He caught her glance, eventually, and gave a flirty wave to her. She lowered her eyebrows and stuck her tongue out at him. He laughed, and slowly turned his head side to side. Nepeta raised her fist- soon enough, she would make him pay.

Terezi, on the other hand, had made a quick exchange of glances with Eridan, and when she turned her head at him as if saying 'Hey, where have you been all this time?', he immediately swept his gaze in the other direction, implying 'Nyeh, you're no use to me anymore'. Now, Terezi bolted through the crowd, angry and confused.

"Uh, hey Terezi." Tavros said upon seeing her, still holding Sollux in his arms.

"Go to hell." She snapped back.

"Oh... um, alright then." Tavros murmured as Terezi kept stomping through the crowd. She didn't know where she was going or what she could fall back on. She decided to stand in the back with Kanaya and Karkat until they all packed up and left.

Kanaya and Karkat- the two of them had really stormed up some sort of pale bond, or so Terezi thought. She hated to admit it, even to herself, but the one thing Terezi really felt she needed was a moirrail. Of course, there were more important issues at stake, and she figured it made sense not to make her personal issues a focus.

That night, the eight of them stayed together, finding shelter underground. Terezi, who had taken up the task of finding a location, stepped on a loose bunch of black rocks and accidentally discovered an large, underground cave, that was mysteriously warm. It was a bit cramped for all of them, but they managed to fit in, making sure Equius and Terezi slept at opposite ends of the cave. It was surprisingly comfortable, everyone agreed. Everyone accept for Sollux.

"Fuck..." He grunted. "The voices..."

"Sollux? Is... um, is everything alright?" Tavros whispered.

"Ah, shit! No, get out!"

"Quiet the fuck down, Captor. We're trying to sleep."

"Kk, I'm serious... the voices, the fucking voices are-"

"Captor, for crying out loud! We need to rest."

"I can't rest... they're worse than usual... fuck!"

"Aren't you capable of ignoring them?"

"Usually, but right now... shit! No! No, that won't happen!"

"Ha ha, very funny. You're trying to keep us up with your little voices. That's fucking adorable."

"Karkat, quit egging him on. And Sollux, shut your trap and let us sleep." Terezi snapped.

"How can you sleep when... oh my gog, this is fucking... NO! AH!"

"Captor if you don't quiet down, I'll get up make you wish you were never hatched!"

"Vriska, you aren't helping."

"Well, what am I supposed to do?"

Tavros stared at Sollux, little bolts of red and blue lightning beginning to spark from his eyes as he wailed. He'd never seen Sollux in such a violently agitated state. He lifted his hand hesitantly to Sollux's shoulder. Sollux gripped his hair, as if he was going to rip it out. "I'm hearing and seeing all these assholes, they're all so real, they're going to kill us right here! Make it stop!" Tavros moved his arm over Sollux nervously, pulling Sollux in, holding him tightly. He held Sollux close, letting the mustard yellow tears soak his shirt. He'd heard Sollux talk about the voices, but as if they were just a casual thing. He'd never heard of the visual hallucinations.

Sollux squeezed his eyes shut, clinging onto Tavros to keep himself from further tantrums. Tavros wanted to know what his friend- or whatever Sollux was to him at that point, he wasn't sure- was up against, but he decided to wait until morning to ask.

Sollux went from a wildfire to a small pit of flames, and by the time only a few embers remained, everyone except him, Tavros, and Terezi was asleep. Terezi missed her recuperacoon, the single scent of lime. Even the abandoned shack was better than being huddled with everyone, imprisoned by claustrophobia. She didn't mind it during the day, but she couldn't sleep when all the sources of smells were so close to eachother and her. Even when she turned to the plain, dark chocolate wall, she couldn't help but smell the mango with a hint of mint of Kanaya's dress. Why, oh why, was Terezi placed next to the one troll who dressed colorfully? She liked it most of the time, but when trying to get some rest, she couldn't help thinking about Kanaya, which led to thoughts about others, and what was going on with them, who was the leader or if there even was such a person amongst them.

After hours of mental torture, Terezi rose in the middle of the night and decided to take a walk, despite the intense windstorm that made the olive trees vibrate. She had a hard time exiting the cave with all the unconscious bodies lying around.

"Hey, watch where you're going, asshole!" Karkat grumbled.

"I'm BLIND."

"Doesn't your nose provide a sufficient substitute for vision?"

"You really needed to ask, miss Smarty Pants?"

"Terezi, get back to sleep." Vriska moaned.

"I'm just taking a walk."

Vriska shrugged. "Wish I could stop you."

"You wish you could stop anyone from disagreeing with you."

"Don't we all? Now be gone or be quiet." Terezi left without another word. Vriska bit her lip, muttering, "Gogdammit, Pyrope... as if I haven't lived your lie already."

"Are you alright, Vriska?" Equius whispered.

"Yeah... yeah I'll be fine." She clung to him and he kissed her forehead.

"I'm here to talk if you need."

"Thanks, same." Both of them went out like a light, as well as the others who had been woken by Terezi's prompt departure.

She walked, shivering, down a steep hill as the wind swirled around her. Going out alone wasn't usually a grave danger- if she was attacked, she could defend herself with her cane and knowledge of pressure points. The wind, on the other hand, was a large body that didn't have any distinct places to hit, it just distorted her surroundings. Kind of like her mind, she thought. Her mind, her future, her life was pretty much just a tar-smelling trash bag of uncertainty at the moment. She had nothing and no one to lean on but herself. She walked far, delving deeper into her disoriented sense of being and place.

"It's cold out here Pyrope. It was dumb of you to leave your coat at the shack. You're lucky that I've got a little sympathy in me." She felt a heavy licorice jacket plop onto her shoulders.

"Vriska? Why are you still sucking up to me? I'm not going to join your little cult."

Vriska laughed. "Cult? You mean the one consisting of one member, my matesprit?" She paused, shaking her head and finishing the laughter. "Some cult I'm leading."

"Well, you have established yourself as the leader from what I've smelled. I'm not joking."

"No shit. You're never joking. Hey, you want a caliginous relationship that's not forced or pathetic? Go talk to your past self! She joked about everything. I could at least take that more seriously than you and Equius. Maybe I should hook him up with his past self. Gog, I'd love to see the two of them battle it out. Fussyfangs trying to auspistize... oh man."

Terezi bit her lip. "It's nice that your able to set up a theoretical shipping chart when there are more important things to talk about."

"Like what?"

Terezi turned to Vriska, who, to her surprise, smelled somewhat concerned. "Vriska, I think I'm losing my mind."

"You know, I was just starting to realize that... like, ever since Ampora became a dick- I mean, more of a dick, actually started to man-up for once in his-"

"Vriska, I don't want to think about him. That ended badly."

"Well, how did you know it would fuck up so much from merely losing touch?"

Terezi sighed. "I didn't just lose touch, Vriska."

"Oh... really? What, did he refuse to-"

"I broke it off with him." Her voice lowered to a whisper. "Just before he attacked Gamzee."

"Oh... that's... wow. That's a pretty heavy secret."

"And how Karkat complains about how he's the worst moirrail... well how about a moraligence that the controlling party ends just as the other has reached the edge of his breaking point?"

"Terezi. You can't just let it sit there, you're going to have to talk to him eventually. If you don't... well, he'll only get worse over time." Vriska put a hand on Terezi's shoulder, and Terezi made a question mark face. "Speaking of pale relationships."

Terezi shoved her off, and Vriska stumbled back a few steps before regaining her balance. "Don't even start with me! It's just another step in your rise to power."

"Rise to- Terezi, wait, let me-"

"No. If someone's going to help me, it won't be you."

"Than who?" They two held eachother's gaze for several seconds. "You think Alternia is full of hands extending in your direction and people calling your name?"

"I think I could easily find someone _way _better than you." She punted Vriska with her shoulder as she stomped off into the distance.

"Fine, see if I care- I mean, smell if I... just, fuck you! I don't need you either!" Vriska called out, knowing it was pure lies. "Dammit, why didn't I think that through?"


	6. Chapter 5: On the larger scale

"Get up everyone. I need to talk to you all." Terezi shouted at the trolls sleeping in the cave. Slowly but surely, they followed her out single file. "Not you." She told Equius as he passed.

"I know how you feel about me, _Pyrope_. No need to remind me." He snarled with his eyebrows arched downwards. "Also," He continued, a bit calmer, "Have you seen Vriska anywhere?"

"Wouldn't you like to know... is it just me, or do you only use your sloppy little make-out sessions to try and get power from her?"

"Pyrope, that is not true, nor is it your business."

"Just get back in the cave. I have important stuff to tell the _real_ revolutionaries."

"I doubt anything you have to say is even remotely worth listening to. I'm going to go look for Vriska. Don't cause any trouble while I am gone."

Terezi frowned at him subtly but condescendingly. Equius kept the same fearsome glare. "Let me guess... that's an order?"

"No, it's a demand. It has nothing to do with your caste. Don't. Ruin. ANYTHING. Do you understand?"

"Just... just leave, alright?"

"I was about to." And with that, Equius headed off to find Vriska.

"Listen up everyone!" Terezi called, interrupting small conversations. "I don't know about you, but I'm sick of how Vriska has passively slipped into the leader role."

"I disagree." Kanaya cut in. "She has been the most active among us regarding the issues with Feferi's poor treatment of her recent inheritance, thus making her seem-"

"Hey, I was talking." Terezi snapped.

"My apologies, Miss Pyrope."

"It's fine. Just listen up."

"Why the fuck should we?"

"How nice of you to ask that, _Karkles_! You'll know why if you kindly shut your trap and listen. As I was saying, Vriska has taken charge here, and we can't let that happen. I know, she's trying to make us think she's changed, has had some inner reform, but really, does anyone actually believe that?" All were silent, unsure. "Well?" The pause continued for several awkward seconds.

Finally, a strong, clear, and confident voice emerged from the silence. "I do." Kanaya said as she stood from the boulder she'd been sitting on.

"Well isn't that nice? See, she's using her mind tricks to manipulate you all. She wants you to think she's the way to freedom, but trust me... if we follow her lead, she will only build us up and tear us down. We've all known her for many sweeps, and we all know the merciless, manipulative person she truly is. Besides, even if Vriska wasn't just looking for power, do you think she handle being in this position? She is not a stable person- I mean, no one's stable, but Vriska is unusually _un_stable. That being said, Vriska is obviously incapable of being a leader. Ok, I'm done. Any questions?"

Kanaya sighed. "I hate to say it, but... you prove an excellent point, that Vriska is trying to do more than she is capable of, and... that's why she needs us. We are all fairly intelligent, and we'd notice early on enough if Vriska was too powerful for her own good, and we would put a stop to it as soon as we could. That being said, I am not in the slightest expressing any form of agreement to Terezi's belief that Vriska is trying to gain power. I think she is truly trying to do what's right- dethrone Feferi or any supreme leadership. I also am led to believe that she knows she can't do it single-handedly. If she receives our assistance, which includes assistance with decisions and plans and other opinionated transactions our group will most certainly come face-to-face with. In short, if she receives our help, it will resolve to something that I'm fairly certain all of us would want."

Terezi raised a pointed finger towards Kanaya, but was unable to utter a corresponding argument. She put her clenched fists at her sides. "You stay out of my way, Kanaya Maryam." She marched away to the cave to quickly gather her belongings.

"If anyone wants my opinion," Tavros began, out of the blue, "I, uh, think Terezi is right. Just giving into Vriska like that, what's wrong with us?"

"I'm with TV here." Sollux replied. "I doubt VK has changed a bit. She's plotting our downfall, it only makes sense. Who's with me?"

The rest of them experienced another short few seconds of awkward silence before Kanaya cut in once again. "You're only on that side because Vriska has done her worst onto to you two- paralyzed one and made the other kill his own moirrail... I know those are both terrible, tragic things that could only be caused by the most hostile of trolls, but I'm fairly certain Vriska is not the same person who she was two sweeps ago. By the way, where have she and her matesprit gone off to?"

Nobody knew except Vriska and Equius themselves. Vriska had found her way to a wooded area surrounding a deep lake with a giant waterfall overhead. She sat, cross legged, at the water's edge, contemplating her dissatisfaction with life. "Vriska?" Equius called from the woods.

"Oh, hey." She said, with a hint of disappointment. "Sorry for my random disappearance. I've just been all over the place with emotions and worries... like, what's this all amounting to?" Equius sat next to her and she moved closer to him.

"You mean what the movement is amounting to?" Equius asked with a warm tone.

"Yeah, mostly, but also just life. Like, is the movement and the serious business and all the crap I try to amount to... is it really better than the Mindfang bullshit, or is it more of the same?" Equius tried to ignore the language- he knew Vriska was offset by her confusion and instability, and he'd gotten significantly used to it. "Am I just giving myself a new false prophecy? Or is what I'm doing even about me? You know what- I don't want the movement to dethrone Feferi to be about me. The movement has barely even begun, and if I am a leader than so be it... but I'm really just trying to figure out what's best. I mean, ideally I'd be working on it all the time, always trying to think of and execute plans to spread the ideas and weaken the imperial forces... but at the same time, if I don't take care of myself, I'm not going to be able to do anything productive, I might even go insane and lose track of what I'm doing- that would lead to counterproductiveness. And I think part of taking care of myself is letting myself have fun sometimes, be free, live a little, 'cause if don't, than the movement, or whatever I'm trying to accomplish, will get absolutely nowhere."

"That's an excellent point, Vriska." Equius told her. He looked out at the lake- Vriska must have had those ideas stored in her think pan for quite a while.

"You think? You, of all trolls, think I should let myself have fun?"

"If it's what's necessary for your productivity and well being... then yes. Of course, I wouldn't have thought such if it weren't for your impressive explanation."

"Alright. Than I'd like something from you."

"I'll do what I can to provide it."

"I want you," She began, "to jump into this lake with me." He gave her a wide-eyed expression that said she was talking like a lunatic. "We'll jump in, in our clothes, simultaneously. On three. One-"

"Vriska!" Equius snapped. "That's absurd. Just because you want to have fun doesn't mean I'm going to get my garments wet like a wrigglerish fool."

Vriska gave him a competitive smirk. "What? Can't swim."

"I'm eight sweeps old. Of course I can swim. I'd just rather not get myself all wet."

"Well, you don't need to wear those 'garments' if that's what your worried about." She raised her eyebrows and stared Equius down. He began to sweat profusely, biting his lip. "Hey, they're already wet! How convenient. Of course, if you want to take them off-"

"Vriska..." Equius began. "Erm, well, I suppose I can comply if-"

"Alright, Equius!" She cheered. He rolled his eyes and suppressed a grin. "Ok, so on eight this time... one-"

"I was saying- I'll comply _if_ you remove your robotic eye to keep it from rusting."

"Oh, right." She squinted, fiddled around her eye socket with her fingers, and popped out the robotic eye. "I always wondered why you made this thing removable. It'd be better if you'd made it waterproof, but still." She dug a small ditch to put her robotic eye in to keep it from rolling around. "How's my eye socket look?"

Equius shrugged. "I've seen it before."

"Okay... one, two... eight!" She propelled herself forward and launched feet first into the lake. She came up to the surface and began treading water. "Come on you coward! Get in the drink!"

"A moment, please." He slid his sunglasses off and placed them next to Vriska's robotic eye. He took a few steps back, then ran forward into a perfect head-first dive, floating to the surface about ten feet from Vriska. "This feels even better than I'd expected." He said before swimming towards her.

"It's been forever since I've gone swimming..." she floated on her back and Equius did the same. "I'll get back to serious stuff in a little while. Just got to get some time to rela-"

"Hey, I found them!" Karkat called, appearing in the trees.

"Vantas?"

"Hey loser! Want to join our pool party!" Vriska shouted.

"Pool party?" Equius inquired. "I thought we were just relaxing!"

"Did someone say pool party?" Nepeta called, running from the same direction Karkat had come, doing a front flip and landing with a large splash in the water.

"Oh, what the fuck..." Karkat muttered. "Cannonball!" He shouted, dashing in and making a pathetic excuse for a splash. "Ah, shit! Why is it so cold?"

"That was pathetic!" Equius commented.

"I'd like to see you do better!"

Equius swam to the edge, climbed out and did a canonball, causing a tremendous splash that soaked Kanaya, who had just approached from the forest.

Nepeta swam to the edge. "Hey, efurryone!" She called. "Come join the party!"

Kanaya looked down at herself, glaring. "Well done, Equius. You've ruined my fine silk dress I just made."

"My deepest apologies, Maryam, I-"

She rolled her eyes. "Luckily I now have nothing left to lose." She stepped over to the edge, removing her forest green ballet slippers and putting one toe in the water. "I suppose I could use a quick dip."

"Get in here, fussyfangs! We've got a lot of work to do, so the party can only last so long!"

"Yeah, get in here Kanaya. It's fucking cold as hell at first but when you get used to it it's actually really nice."

Kanaya shrugged. "I could use a bit of wrigglerish entertainment every now and then." She did a simple pencil dive and swam towards the others.

"Oh, there's a pool party?" Tavros asked as he approached.

"Guess so." Sollux answered, standing next to him, arms crossed to keep himself from holding Tavros' hand. "Wanna jump in together?"

"That'd be fun, but, I, um... my legs will rust." Sollux let out a disappointed grunt. "It's fine, you can go, uh, have fun with everyone else while I just sit here and, uh, watch, I guess."

"Nah." Sollux answered. "It's no fun if all you're doing is waiting. I'll wait with you, we can have our own fun."

"Sollux, are you serious? You don't have to do that for me- really, I just, uh, want you to have fun. Two bored trolls is worse than one, right?"

"We'll find other ways to make time pass. Want to go check out the volcano?"

Tavros turned back to look past the tall evergreens they'd hiked through, up to the large black mountain that stuck up from the green landscape. "Yeah, I bet it's pretty interesting." They turned and made their way back through the forest and to the volcano. "Hey, uh, Sollux, you look a bit distraught... are you alright?"

"I'm never alright- that being said, I'm also almost always alright."

"Um... that doesn't make sense."

"I mean, I never really feel that great, with the voices and the other disadvantages of having a stupid mutant brain, but I'm able to get by ninety something percent of the time..."

"Oh, well... that really sucks, um... well, I want you to know that you're one the most, um, amazing trolls I've ever met."

"I am?"

"Yeah... especially considering all you put up with. I mean, if your problems are all in your head, than you can't escape them. It's impressive that you put up with all that, and then are, uh... well, really likeable. What I'm saying is... you've got a high charisma and a high constitution, pretty much."

"You really mean it?"

"I wouldn't say it if I didn't."

Sollux bit his lip and tried to conceal the thick blush that was slowly forming on his face. "Thanks." he replied hesitantly, suppressing a smile. "I wish my own charisma didn't have a reverse affect on me."

"Huh? What do you mean?" Tavros looked him right in the eyes- he loved Sollux's eyes. They were so mysterious. "You have low self esteem too?"

"Yeah... I try to act like I don't, but really, I'm just another self-hating assface."

"I know everyone's sick of me bitching about my self esteem, but-"

"See, I don't get why you have low self esteem." Sollux began, "Among the people we know, you're the only one who's not insane and/or at the top of the ego-spectrum."

"If there's such a thing, I'm at the bottom. I, um, can't stand myself, honestly."

"I'm guessing even the self-loving assholes are secretly dissatisfied with themselves." He looked up to see how close they were to the volcano, and realized they still had miles and miles of trees ahead of them. "At least, I hope so. I guess it's standard for trolls to be assholes- either that or we're part of a group of special people."

Tavros laughed. "I hope we're in a group of, um, especially annoying people... for Alternia's sake, obviously... I mean, not that I find you annoying at all."

Sollux nodded. "Yep, you're pretty much the only dependable person in our group."

"Hey, um, Sollux..." Tavros began. "I want to ask you something, but it might piss you off."

Sollux shrugged. "Spit it out. I'll try not to flip my shit."

"Do you, um, have... you know, feelings for me?"

Sollux stopped in his tracks. "Yep, most likely." He crossed his arms. "Definitely. I don't know what it is, but you just... get me, somehow. And you never get mad, and sometimes you're a bit too forgiving, but... I guess a bit of forgiveness is something I'm looking for." He paused to look up at the volcano, realizing why he wanted to go explore it- it reminded him of Aradia. He missed Aradia more than anyone knew. He looked back at Tavros- remembering the night before, when he'd driven away the unusual hallucinations... how did Tavros understand him so well? He didn't know, and he didn't need to know. There were many more loose ends that were more in need of tying. "I mean, it depends what quadrant."

"Well, I was thinking pale, maybe-"

"Oh, huh. See, I can't have another pale relationship." He sighed. "It would be the death of me. My pale connection to Ff holds the fate of our race, and even more so, my fucking life. And you know... we really were meant to be. She's the one other troll who ever listened."

"But... but you said you had feelings, that's so confus-"

"Yeah, Tavros, I have feelings for you. Flushed feelings, gogdammit."

"Oh..." Tavros sulked. "I always assumed I wasn't good enough for you..."  
"Not good enough?" Sollux raised an eyebrow. "Of course you're good enough. Didn't I just say you're really the only dependable person in our group?"

"You did, but... I mean, I really, really, admire you, and, um... I'm just not sure, okay?"

Sollux let out a huffy sigh. "Fine. Let's just get to that volcano." He continued along the way but Tavros remained in place. "Hey, the volcano's this way." Tavros shook his head. "What's up?"

"I think I just need to be alone." Tavros muttered.

"What?" Sollux called back, a significant distance away from Tavros.

"I need to be alone, I hope you don't mind."

"Yep," Sollux began, "I'll just explore the volcano on my own." He ran off down the path. Tavros watched him all the way. When Sollux was out of sight, Tavros collapsed against the tree behind him. Not only had he just turned down a matesprit, but a matesprit that he felt more connected to than anyone else. "Ugh... what's wrong with me?" he whispered to himself.

Of all the people he'd known, nobody had treated him with as much respect as Sollux had. Sollux actually listened to him, gave him a chance before judging him. He'd naturally taught himself to not fill a quadrant without forethought. He'd never blatantly turned down Gamzee or Vriska, though he'd made his answer quite obvious with the latter, but when he'd thought about it, being matesprits with either seemed like more of a responsibility than what he thought matespritship was supposed to be. It was entirely different with Sollux- there were responsibilities that came with being matesprits with him, too, that was inevitable, but they were all worth it. Anything would be worth it for Sollux- all he'd had to do was simply say 'yes', but instead, he gave an uncertain response, as always.

For a long time, Tavros merely leaned against the tree- it was like paralysis all over again. Sure, he had the robot legs now, but in that moment, his emotions paralyzed his entire body, like a current flowing through him that bound him in one place. The source of this 'current' was obviously the fact that he didn't know what direction to take, so he stayed still. Alone... for a little.

"Tavros!" called a snippy, somewhat raspy voice from the direction of the lake. "Just who I wanted to talk to."

"Hey Terezi, this isn't a great time, honestly. I kind of just really screwed up and I need some time to, um-"

"Tavros, we don't have any time." Terezi interrupted. "Everyone else _thinks_ they have time to just swim and sit around, but really, everyone needs to work on this revolution Vriska's apparently interested in starting- for her own power, obviously." Terezi inhaled, then leaned in close to Tavros, and whispered, "this is why I'm breaking off from Vriska. She needs me, but I don't need her. I want you and apple-berry blast to join me."

"But I need to be-"

"Remember what she did to you?" Terezi snapped. She sniffed off into the distance, and found a hint of mustard climbing the volcano.

"Unfortunately." Tavros muttered, looking away from Terezi, at his legs.

"And you know what she did to Sollux, right?" Tavros heard, but remained silent. "She made him kill his own moirrail!"

"I know, Terezi, but, uh... haven't you killed people before?"

Terezi sighed, stepping back and crossing her arms. "Yeah, that's nothing. I don't use people I know for revenge, especially on their own moirrails!"

Tavros lowered his eyebrows in contemplation- how could someone do something so hostile to Sollux, a troll who already put up with enough to begin with? How could he be faithful to Vriska, trust her as his leader? He hated to admit, for whatever reason, but Terezi was right. "I think I'll join you. Vriska shouldn't be allowed to save the world or whatever. She's not good for anything."

A hostile smirk was born on Terezi's lips. "Excellent." She paused, sniffing once again at the apple berry blast speckle on the mountain. "We could use Sollux's help too. We can't let a powerful psionic like him be manipulated into the corrupt side, now can we?"

"I'll talk him into it." Tavros answered.

"So much for all Vriska's antagonizing- you've already done more than her just by promising that!"

Tavros smiled slightly- he rarely got compliments, especially sincere ones. "Have I really?"

"Trust me, you're perfect for this. We'll make a great team. By the way, I've already thought this through a bit- you know, the whole 'take down Feferi's empire' plan. For the time being, because it would make things run smoother I'd like you to just run with what I have- is that understood?" Terezi waited for a response from Tavros, leaning sideways against a tree as Tavros digested what she had said. "Well?"

"Yes, I understand." he answered. "I'm sure I couldn't come up with anything better than what you already have."

"I knew you'd be perfect." Terezi hesitated, sniffing at the air and focusing on Tavros' face- he seemed sincere enough, and if he wasn't... well, Terezi hadn't decided what to do with him. Bottom line, she'd make sure he was sincere. "My first task for you, then, is to go get Sollux. Tell him to join our side. He'll make a great addition to the team."

"Um, you had this planned out?"

"Productivity, Tavros. Don't lag behind."

"Ok, uh, okay then!" Tavros chirped, dashing off towards Sollux. Terezi turned back to face the lake where the others were.

"Don't worry, you rotten blueberries," she sneered into the distance, still wearing her hostile grin, "Team Fruit Punch Scales is here to do the job right."


End file.
